€SM.  \VeLLS 


University  of  California  •  Berkeley 

THE  PETER  AND  ROSELL  HARVEY 
MEMORIAL  FUND 


: 


>x!    ^ 


JAMKS  M.  WELLS,  AT  THE  AGE  OF  SIXTY-FIVE. 


WITH  TOUCH  OF  ELBOW" 


OR 


DEATH  BEFORE  DISHONOR 


A  Thrilling  Narrative  of  Adventure  on  Land  and  Sea 

BY 

CAPTAIN  JAMES  M.  WELLS 


1909 

THE  JOHN  C.  WINSTON  CO. 

PHILADELPHIA  CHICAGO  TORONTO 


COPYRIGHT  1909  BY 
JAMES  M.  WELLS 


INTRODUCTION. 


The  work  herein  contained  is  a  simple  memoir  or  nar- 
ration of  events  coming  within  the  personal  observation  of 
the  writer,  beginning  just  before  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Civil  War  and  continuing  through  those  years  now  desig- 
nated as  the  "Period  of  Eeconstruction  •"  the  whole 
covering  a  decade  in  the  history  of  our  own  country 
unequaled  for  stirring  and  dramatic  events  and  remarkable 
for  the  influence  it  has  exerted  in  the  world's  enlightened 
progress. 

The  story  is  concluded  with  a  description  of  a  voyage 
at  sea  and  an  extended  sojourn  among  the  Azorean  Islands. 

So  far  as  relates  to  the  Civil  War,  its  leading  features 
are  already  familiar  to  the  reader.  The  names  of  the 
great  generals  commanding,  the  battles  lost  and  won,  the 
numbers  engaged  and  the  losses  sustained,  are  all  set  forth 
in  the  text-books  of  our  common  schools  and  do  not  need 
repeating  in  a  work  of  this  character.  But  of  the  soldier 
himself  who,  with  gun  on  shoulder  and  knapsack  on  back, 
tramped  the  bloody  and  sodden  fields ;  who  rode  the  horse, 
wielded  the  pistol  and  saber,  did  the  fighting  and  won 
the  victories;  upon  whose  valor,  patriotism  and  fidelity 
everything  depends  in  time  of  war,  very  few  details  have 
been  given  in  history.  And,  while  it  is  impossible  to  write 
up  the  individual  prowess  of  the  two  million  or  more  men 
who  took  up  arms  in  defense  of  the  Union,  the  writer,  in 
the  course  of  this  narrative,  offers  his  own  experience — 
with  which  he  is  most  familiar — believing  it  constitutes  a 
fair  representation  of  the  whole,  for  what  one  soldier  saw, 

i 


ii  Introduction. 

so  far,  at  least,  as  the  same  service  is  performed  and  like 
ground  covered,  will  not  differ  widely  from  the  experience 
of  thousands  who  thus  formed  the  bulwark  of  the  nation's 
defense. 

This  is  the  apology  offered  for  what  otherwise  may 
&eem  like  an  effort  on  the  part  of  the  narrator  to  exploit 
himself,  and  so  it  is  believed  higher  and  better  motives 
will  appear  in  the  progress  of  the  narrative. 

Foremost  among  the  objects  of  this  writing  is  the  hope 
of  inculcating  in  the  minds  and  hearts  of  the  young  who 
may  chance  to  read,  a  higher  degree  of  patriotism  and  love 
of  country;  that  God-given  spirit  that  makes  heroes  of 
cowards  and  saints  of  debauchees;  that  leads  men  into 
battles  facing  the  cannon's  mouth;  sustains  them  in  dun- 
geons, and  carries  women  through  perils  greater  than  those 
imposed  by  nature  upon  the  mothers  of  the  human  race. 

When  not  so  imbued  no  nation  can  long  survive.  With- 
out love  of  country,  independence  of  thought  and  action, 
religion,  education  and  every  laudable  ambition  of  which 
the  average  citizen  is  capable  is  dwarfed,  and,  in  the  end, 
tyranny  usurps  the  place  of  justice,  and  subjugation  and 
slavery  overtake  the  peoples  who  do  not  pay  due  homage 
to  the  flag  under  which  they  live,  and  stand  ready  at  all 
times,  no  matter  what  sacrifice  may  be  required,  to  take 
up  the  gage  of  battle  in  defense  of  the  soil  upon  which 
they  are  nurtured  and  sustained. 

Also  this  opportunity  is  taken  to  return  thanks  for  the 
many  kindly  acts  bestowed  upon  the  writer,  and  upon 
others,  by  the  men  and  women  whose  names  are  here 
written  and  whose  merits  are  beyond  the  power  of  a  work 
of  this  character  to  compensate. 

And  last,  though  not  least,  we  hope  to  aid  in  perpetuating 
and  keeping  alive  the  memories  that  cluster  around  the 


Introduction.  iii 

perilous  days  of  1861-1865,  that  the  debt  of  gratitude  the 
country  owes  the  men  who  stood  "with  touch  of  elbow" 
in  the  great  conflict  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union  may 
not  be  forgotten. 

More  than  a  generation  has  passed  since  the  battles  of 
the  Civil  War  were  fought,  and  from  £ut  the  ashes  of 
those  sanguinary  fields  there  has  come  up  on  this  continent 
a  mighty  colossus,  whose  liberty-loving  precepts  and  ex- 
ample are  one  day  likely  to  bestride  the  world.  With 
bright  eye,  erect  form  and  elastic  step  the  Union  soldiers 
marched  throughout  those  terrible  campaigns,  sharing  their 
blankets  on  the  cold,  frozen  earth  at  night  and  drinking 
from  the  same  canteen,  while  the  bones  of  their  comrades 
fallen  in  that  great  struggle,  lie  mingled  with  the  soil  of 
every  State,  from  the  Susquehanna  River  to  the  Rio  Grande, 
and  there,  sacred  to  the  memory  of  a  grateful  people,  they 
will  lie  forever. 


Contents 


PAGE 

Introduction i 

The  Amateur  Bull-whacker 1 

The  Turbulent  Missouri  8 

"The  Pony  Express"  19 

Salt  Lake,  The  Holy  City 29 

An  Indian  Outbreak 31 

Virginia  City,  Nevada   38 

The  Start  for  the  Theatre  of  War 44 

"The  Old  Sonora" 49 

"The  Northern  Light"   60 

Six  Brothers  Enlisted  63 

The  Bounty  Jumpers   67 

The  Passing  Regiment   73 

The  Volunteer  Soldier  76 

The  Morgan  Raid  81 

Battle  at  Tebbs  Bend,  Green  River  Bridge 84 

Capture  of  the  Garrison  at  Lebanon 86 

Morgan  Crosses  to  the  Indiana  Shore 91 

Hobson  Hot  Upon  the  Trail 95 

The  Greenwoods,  Mitchels  and  Dominicks  of  Cincinnati..  100 

The  Michigan  Brigade  Again  on  the  March 102 

Battle  at  Buffington's  Island  105 

The  Wily  Chief  Slips  Through  the  Federal  Lines 109 

The  Final  Capture  Ill 

Strips  of  White  Cloth  in  Token  of  Surrender 112 

Our  Victorious  Troops  at  Steubenville 114 

From  Kentucky  Into  East  Tennessee 119 

General  N.  B.  Forest 123 

The  Retreat  and  Running  Fight 125 

Hoping  to  Make  Good  My  Escape '127 

A  Prisoner  and  Compelled  to  Part  with  My  Boots 130 

The  Bastile  of  the  Confederacy 136 

The  Tunneling  Process,  a  Gigantic  Undertaking 141 

A  Vast  Amount  of  Labor  Lost 143 

A  Pair  of  Stockings  Such  as  Mother  Used  to  Knit 149 

Covering  for  Both  Head  and  Feet 151 

From  Libby  to  Liberty 153 

But  Yet  Not  Free  156 

Randall  of  the  Second  Ohio  and  McCain  of  the  Twenty- 
first  Illinois    160 

The  Rescue    162 

The  Bivouac  that  Followed  166 

The  Hunt  for  Escaped  Prisoners  Continued 169 

The  Story  as  Told  by  the  Richmond  Dispatch 170 

At  Last  Within  the  Federal  Lines 177 

Congratulated  by  Lincoln 178 

Home,  Sweet  Home  181 

The  Watch  and  Chain  Recovered  .  190 


Contents 


PAGE 

The  Atlanta  Campaign  193 

Crossing  the  Chattahoochee  River 197 

A  Masked  Battery  200 

At  the  Gates  of  Atlanta 202 

Macon  and  Andersonville  206 

An  Act  of  Vandalism  209 

Stoneman  Retreats  from  Macon  211 

A  Battle  at  Sunshine  Church 212 

Stoneman  Determines  to  Surrender 215 

A  Desperate  Effort  to  Reach  the  Federal  Lines 216 

The   Mulberry   River    220 

Again  a  Prisoner  of  War 223 

Old  Acquaintance  Revived   228 

Under  the  Federal  Batteries  at  Charleston 230 

Captain  Charles  E.  Greble 232 

A  Death  Warrant  236 

The  Mortality  Appalling  238 

It  Is  Either  Exchange  or  Death 239 

We  Reach  Macon  and  Atlanta 242 

Rough  and  Ready,  the  Point  of  Exchange 244 

"Safe  Within  the  Federal  Lines,  Thank  God" 247 

Colonel  H.  C.  Hobart 251 

Sympathizing    Friends    253 

A  Second  Home-coming  255 

Again  Upon  Active  Duty   259 

The  Final  Muster  Out  in  1865 262 

The  Grand  Review  at  Washington  270 

The    Subject   of   Pensions 271 

The  Period  of  Reconstruction  280 

The  Story  of  a  Brave  Girl 283 

Shot  Down  Without  Mercy  291 

A  Silent  and  Unwilling  Witness 294 

Isaac    Landers    299 

The  Wounded  Father  and  Daughter 301 

The  Suffering  Girl 302 

A  Dangerous  Operation,  Death  of  Carolena 305 

Life  at  the  Nation's  Capital  309 

The  Great  Forum   316 

How  Czarism  Was  Evolved 319 

Assassination  of  President  Garfield  320 

The  Good  Barque  "Sarah" 326 

Flores,  The  Isle  of  Flowers  330 

San  Miguel    335 

The  Island  and  Mountain  of  Pico 339 

The  Island  of  Fayal   346 

The  Caldeira    349 

The  Long  Tom  at  Fayal 354 

Final  Assault  and  Sinking  of  the  Armstrong 358 


Illustrations. 

PAGE 

James  M.  Wells,  at  the  Age  of  Sixty-five Frontispiece 

Steamboat  Rock,  Echo  Canyon,  Utah 29 

Colonel  Elisha  Mix,  Eighth  Michigan  Cavalry 69 

Officers  of  the  Eighth  Michigan  Cavalry — Adjutant  Homer 
Manvel  on  the  right,  Commissary  William  H.  Mills 
on  the  left 74 

Lieutenant  Lovinas  H.  Patton,  Eighth  Michigan  Cavalry    79 

Libby  Prison.  From  a  Photograph  taken  in  1865  by 
George  S.  Cook 135 

Colonel  Thomas  E.  Rose,  at  the  Age  of  Sixty 145 

Sectional  View  of  Libby  Prison  and  Tunnel 153 

Special  Order  No.  82,  War  Department,  Granting  Thirty 
Days'  Leave  of  Absence  to  Lieut.  James  M.  Wells..  181 

Envelope  of  Letter  Addressed  to  Lieut.  James  M.  Wells 

while  a  Prisoner  of  War  in  Libby  Prison 185 

Captain  James  M.  Wells,  at  the  Age  of  Twenty-five 188 

View  of  National  Cemetery,  Andersonville,  where  13,710 

Union  Soldiers  are  Buried 238 

Carolena  Clinton    ^ 285 

Invitation  from  the  Republican  National   Committee  to 

Speak  in  the  Campaign  of  1884 315 

Mount  Pico  from  Fayal,  Azorean  Islands 339 

Fayal,  Azorean  Islands,  and  Fort  on  the  Bay,  in  Front  of 
which  the  "Armstrong"  was  Sunk 346 


WITH  TOUCH  OF  ELBOW. 


THE  AMATEUR  BULL-WHACKER. 

Since  the  landing  of  the  Pilgrim  Fathers  on  Plymouth 
Rock  that  bleak  December  day  in  1620  down  to  the 
present  time  the  guiding  star  of  the  ambitious  young 
American  has  risen  steadily  in  the  West,  and,  in  the 
subjugation  of  a  continent,  Americans  have  become  what 
may  justly  be  denominated  a  race  of  pioneers.  From 
New  England  to  New  York  and  Pennsylvania,  and 
from  Virginia  and  the  Carolinas  to  Kentucky  and  Ten- 
nessee, across  the  Mississippi  and  the  Missouri,  over  the 
wide  prairies,  out  on  the  desert  plains,  over  the  bleak  and 
barren  summits  of  the  Rockies  and  the  Sierras,  and  down 
the  western  slope  to  the  sun-kissed  shores  of  the  Pacific, 
the  irresistible  tide  has  moved  steadily  on  for  more  than 
a  hundred  years. 

We  are  indebted  to  the  Honorable  Theodore  Roosevelt 
for  the  laconic  apothegm :  "It  is  the  red  blood  of  achieve- 
ment that  is  needed  in  this  generation,  and  not  the  blue 
blood  of  ancestry;"  so  the  writer  does  not  go  back  to  the 
Norman  conquerors  for  his  ancestral  blood,  but  finds  it 
first  in  Connecticut,  then  in  Western  New  York,  where 
he  was  born,  and  lastly  in  Michigan,  where  his  young 
manhood  was  reached,  and  from  which  State  the  earliest 
movement  to  the  westward  on  his  own  initiative  took 
place. 

An  expedition  whose  purpose  was  the  subjugation  of  the 
Mormons  in  Utah,  then  supposed  to  be  in  rebellion  against 

i 


2  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

the  authority  of  the  United  States  Government,  was  the 
impelling  force  that  led  him  forth  to  conquer.  Not  that 
it  was  expected  the  Mormons  would  yield  obedience  to  his 
unaided  authority,  though  the  enthusiasm  of  extreme  youth 
gave  him  greater  confidence  in  his  ability  to  subdue  insur- 
rections than  the  experience  of  more  mature  years  has 
taught  him. 

Messrs.  Majors  and  Russell,  at  the  time  and  for  years 
thereafter  noted  contractors  for  the  carrying  trade  on  the 
desert  plains,  and  engaged  by  the  Government  to  convey 
the  supplies  for  the  United  States  Army  then  on  its  march 
to  Salt  Lake,  were  advertising  for  teamsters,  wagoners 
and  trainmen  to  aid  in  this  work,  offering  good  wages; 
and  in  answer  to  the  call  young  men  from  all  parts  of  the 
country  were  heading  for  what  was  then  the  far  West, 
where  the  manipulating  and  handling  of  ox-teams  had 
been  reduced  to  a  science,  and  in  the  pay  and  emoluments 
of  its  most  skillful  artists  almost  equal  to  the  more  learned 
professions. 

Now,  among  the  earliest  of  my  recollections  as  a  boy 
on  the  farm  was  the  '^breaking"  of  a  yoke  of  calves.  It 
mattered  not  that  the  calves  were  both  females,  for  they 
were  beauties  and  well  "matched,"  each  having  a  star  on 
its  forehead,  and,  in  a  boy's  enthusiastic  judgment,  in 
every  way  equally  efficient  with  a  pair  of  bulls;  and  what 
greatly  enhanced  their  value  to  me  was  the  fact  that  as 
calves,  at  least,  they  were  my  personal  property,  though 
time  disclosed  the  fact  that  as  cows  the  title  had  changed 
and  they  were  reckoned  among  the  general  assets  of  the 
farm. 

From  a  basswood  log  I  had  hewed  out  a  yoke  suitable 
in  size  and  weight,  with  bows,  staple  and  ring,  without 
which  a  yoke  is  as  valueless  as  a  wagon  without  wheels. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  3 

By  the  aid  of  a  lead  rope  attached  to  the  "near  ox"  I  was 
enabled  to  guide  and  direct  my  team  to  the  extent  of  haul- 
ing, from  time  to  time,  on  a  hand  sled  of  my  own  manu- 
facture a  sufficient  amount  of  pumpkins  to  keep  the  calves 
contented  and  in  good  order  for  the  work  in  hand. 

During  the  time  the  process  of  "breaking"  was  going 
on  my  father  had  been  in  poor  health  and  confined  to  the 
house,  and  now  that  he  was  out  again,  I  was  anxious  to 
entertain  him  with  an  exhibition  of  the  calves  and  my 
skill  in  handling  them  under  the  yoke.  Accordingly  they 
were  hitched  up  in  the  barnyard  when  father  came  out, 
no  doubt  expecting  a  masterful  display  of  what  a  boy  is 
capable  in  the  way  of  training  the  brute  to  some  useful 
occupation. 

But  the  exhibition  was  a  disappointment,  and  successful 
only  in  arousing  the  dominating  spirit  slumbering  in  the 
breast  of  pater  familias,  and  in  humbling  the  pride  of  his 
dutiful  son. 

It  had  been  raining  and  pools  of  water  were  standing  in 
the  barnyard,  and  while  manipulating  with  the  whip  and 
directing  the  movement  of  the  calves  through  a  series  of 
complicated  evolutions  I  lost  my  footing  and  fell  into  a 
pool  of  muddy  water.  Whereupon  the  calves,  taking  ad- 
vantage of  the  moment  and  already  nettled  by  the  extraor- 
dinary service  required  of  them,  started  off  on  the  run, 
dragging  me  at  the  end  of  the  guide  rope.  But  pride  and 
anger  were  both  aroused  and  my  reputation  as  a  teamster 
at  stake,  and  I  held  on  literally  through  "thick  and  thin/' 
till  placed  somewhat  in  the  situation  of  the  farmer  who 
yoked  himself  up  with  an  unbroken  steer.  The  steer  bolted 
and  ran,  and  the  old  farmer,  in  order  that  he  might  not 
be  dragged  along  and  killed  outright,  was  compelled  to  run 
with  him.  But,  getting  out  of  breath  and  fearful  of  conse- 


4  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

quences  at  the  outcome  of  the  race,  he  hailed  a  neighboring 
farmer  as  follows  "Hello,  there !  durn  our  fool  souls ! 
come  and  head  us  off  or  we'll  break  our  necks/' 

So  around  the  corral  I  was  whirled,  through  heaps  of 
barnyard  manure  and  pools  of  muddy  water,  till  completely 
drenched  and  well-nigh  exhausted,  before  the  calves 
brought  up  panting  in  a  corner. 

Taking  an  inventory  of  myself  after  this  unexpected 
denouement,  both  elbows  were  found  badly  skinned,  sus- 
penders broken  and  trousers  torn,  presenting  altogether, 
as  I  thought,  a  sight  calculated  to  make  angels  weep — but 
father  only  laughed.  This  increased  my  pride  and  resent- 
ment, and  with  difficulty,  holding  my  temper  until  father's 
back  was  turned,  I  proceeded  to  vent  my  spleen  on  the 
calves;  and,  in  a  great  passion,  stripping  off  the  yoke  and 
striking  each  calf  a  furious  blow  with  the  bow  as  he 
backed  away,  I  then  took  the  yoke  and  broke  it  into  frag- 
ments across  a  near-by  stump,  throwing  the  pieces  in  every 
direction  as  far  as  possible. 

Unfortunately  for  me  (or  rather,  as  matters  have  turned 
out,  may  I  not  say  fortunately),  just  as  this  exhibition  of 
unbridled  temper  came  to  a  close  pater  stepped  around 
the  corner  of  the  barn  and  beckoned  me  to  him.  As  I 
was  responding  to  this  call  in  the  affirmative  he  directed 
me  to  pick  up  and  bring  with  me  a  large  stick,  a  sort  of 
native  whip  that  lay  in  the  pathway.  I  was  accustomed 
to  obey  my  father  and  gathered  up  the  stick,  though 
reluctantly,  and  now,  beginning  to  feel  the  full  gravity  of 
the  situation,  presented  myself  before  him.  Then  taking 
me  by  the  collar  with  one  hand  and  the  stick  in  the  other, 
in  a  perfectly  calm  and  unruffled  voice  he  said:  "Now, 
young  man,  I  am  going  to  flog  you  for  allowing  your  temper 
to  run  away  with  you;"  and  then  applied  the  whip  vigor- 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  5 

ously.  It  was  the  first  and  last  time  he  ever  struck  me  a 
blow,  and  the  lesson  he  sought  to  convey  has  never  been 
forgotten.  My  father,  Samuel  D.  Wells,  a  man  without  an 
enemy,  at  the  age  of  fifty,  died  a  few  weeks  later,  and  I 
mourned  his  loss  as  I  have  never  mourned  since,  though 
the  entire  family,  consisting  of  father,  mother,  sisters  and 
brothers,  have  long  since  passed  away. 

With  all  the  advantages  of  this  early  training  on  the 
farm  is  it  surprising  that,  now  grown  ''bigger,"  I  believed 
myself  equal  to  the  task  of  driving  a  bull-team  across  the 
plains  and  thus  becoming  a  helpful  instrument  in  the 
prosecution  of  the  Mormon  War.  Accordingly,  in  company 
with  Clem  Stone,  the  eldest  son  of  the  Eev.  J.  A.  B.  Stone, 
President  of  Kalamazoo  College,  and  another  neighboring 
boy,  David  Carlton  by  name,  I  left  the  college  where  I 
had  entered  on  a  preparatory  course  and  started  out  with 
the  expectation  of  offering  my  services  as  an  expert  in  the 
use  of  the  whip  and  the  goad  in  handling  a  bull-team  on 
the  plains.  But  fate  seemed  to  have  destined  me  for 
other  uses. 

The  outfitting  and  starting  point  for  the  expedition 
against  the  Mormons  was  Nebraska  City,  Omaha  at  that 
time  having  no  place  on  the  map.  All  the  supplies  being 
shipped  for  the  army  and  the  great  host  of  teams,  team- 
sters and  wagoners;  all  the  feed  for  stock,  provisions, 
wagons,  chains,  ox-yokes,  shoes,  and  all  the  other  para- 
phernalia in  use  on  the  plains  were  brought  to  Nebraska 
City — at  that  time  on  the  extreme  western  frontier — by 
steamboat  up  the  Missouri  Eiver,  from  points  in  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Kentucky  and  Missouri. 

Aleck  Majors,  a  Kentuckian  who  did  not  drink  or  swear, 
a  devout  Christian  gentleman  who  could  neither  read  nor 
write,  was  the  master  spirit  that  organized,  superintended 


6  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

and  successfully  carried  out  every  detail  of  this  colossal 
contract  with  the  Government. 

The  material  in  both  men  and  animals  comprising  his 
stock  in  trade  was  of  the  rawest  and  wildest  which  the 
Wild  West  of  that  period  produced.  But  this  giant  in 
moral  and  intellectual  stature,  as  well  as  in  physical,  proved 
equal  to  every  condition. 

Long-horned,  fiery  and  untamed  steers  from  the  plains 
of  Texas,  New  Mexico  and  the  Indian  Territory  were 
driven  in  large  herds  to  Nebraska  City,  where  they  were 
corralled,  yoked  and  subdued  to  become  the  motor  power 
of  this  great  caravan.  Forty-five  thousand  head  were 
taken  into  this  service ;  3,500  big  wagons,  3,000  mules  and 
horses — mostly  for  the  saddle — and  5,000  men  were  re- 
quired to  handle  the  freight,  break,  drive  and  care  for  the 
teams;  and  every  man  so  employed  was  compelled  to  sign 
a  contract,  the  violation  of  which  on  his  part  was  a  for- 
feiture of  his  pay,  to  abstain  from  the  use  of  profane  lan- 
guage and  intoxicating  liquors  while  thus  engaged. 

The  whole  mass  of  freight  was  moved  from  time  to 
time  in  separate  trains,  consisting  of  10  or  20  wagons  of 
from  6,000  to  10,000  pounds'  capacity,  with  6  to  12  yoke 
of  oxen  to  a  wagon.  The  men  of  such  an  outfit  numbered 
about  30 — a  wagonmaster  and  assistant,  a  night  herder 
who  also  looked  after  the  riding  horses,  and  a  driver  to 
each  wagon.  The  latter  were  known  as  "bull-whackers." 

Prior  to  the  departure  of  a  train  the  men  detailed  for 
its  conduct  were  assembled  in  camp  to  listen  to  instruc- 
tions and  a  lecture  from  their  employer  along  the  lines 
of  temperance  and  general  good  moral  conduct. 

But  I  have  before  stated  the  steers  or  oxen  were  all  wild, 
and  "How  were  they  made  available  for  this  important 
work?"  is  the  question  we  will  now  undertake  to  answer. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  7 

A  large  band  or  herd  was  driven  into  a  corral  made  of 
logs  six  to  ten  inches  in  diameter,  set  deeply  in  the  ground, 
the  steers  being  crowded  and  packed  together  so  thickly 
they  could  not  turn  or  move  in  any  direction.  Men  with 
yokes  lifted  high  in  air  then  went  among  them,  cautiously 
slipping  the  yokes  onto  their  necks  whenever  and  wher- 
ever an  opportunity  presented,  until  the  desired  number  of 
steers  were  yoked.  This  was  the  work  of  experienced  men, 
and  in  its  execution  required  great  skill  and  courage. 

These  details  completed,  everybody  stood  from  under, 
when  the  corral  was  thrown  open  from  different  points  of 
the  compass  and  the  whole  band  of  yoked  steers  turned  at 
liberty;  and  then  followed  a  scene  that  baffles  description. 
Any  attempt  to  control  their  movements  at  this  time  would 
be  both  dangerous  and  futile,  though  mounted  men  carry- 
ing great  blacksnake  whips  are  standing  by  to  follow  and 
watch  them  as  they  rush  out  over  the  prairie,  with  tails 
lifted  in  air,  bellowing  and  shaking  the  ground  with  their 
tremendous  hoof  beats.  Some  sulked  and  showed  fight, 
while  others  turned  the  yoke  so  that  the  two  steers  in  the 
same  joke  faced  in  opposite  directions;  but  all  were  mad- 
dened or  frightened  beyond  control.  At  length,  however, 
from  sheer  exhaustion  they  begin  to  quiet  down,  and  with 
the  assistance  of  a  few  yoke  already  "gentled"  they  are  led 
or  driven  to  the  wagons,  hitched  up  and  soon  started  off 
on  their  long  journey  across  the  plains. 

The  amount  of  energy  and  brute  force  expended  from 
the  time  the  steers  are  first  rounded  up  on  the  range  until 
their  burden  is  laid  down  at  the  end  of  the  route  is  beyond 
comprehension;  though,  in  fact,  this  expedition,  as  com- 
pared with  the  general  movement  across  the  continent 
from  1863  to  1866,  at  which  time  emigration  reached  its 
maximum,  was  but  a  drop  in  the  bucket.  In  those  years 


8  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

the  estimated  floating  population  on  the  plains  was  250, 
000.  One  firm  alone — Russell,  Majors  &  Waddell — em- 
ployed 6,250  large  wagons  and  75,000  oxen  in  carrying 
freight.  But  this  was  only  one  of  a  multitude  of  corpora- 
tions, equally  extensive,  engaged  in  transportation  in  those 
years. 

It  did  not  require  a  great  length  of  time  in  this  stren- 
uous service  to  convince  me  that  my  early  training  in  the 
management  of  "steers"  was  of  little  practical  value,  and 
that  I  must  turn  my  genius  into  other  channels,  and  so 
resolved  to  act  without  further  delay.  A  new  world  had 
opened  up  to  me,  but  what  to  do  to  keep  "touch  of  elbow" 
in  the  great  march  of  events  was  a  vexed  question. 
Nebraska  City  was  but  a  frontier  village  far  beyond  the 
reach  of  ordinary  civilization,  and  there  would  be  no 
steamboat  for  the  next  ten  days  at  least  on  which  one 
might  engage  passage 

DOWN  THE  MISSOURI  RIVER. 

And  if  a' boat  were  to  depart  every  hour,  without  money 
one  could  not  see  his  way  clear  for  a  passage,  for  roust- 
abouts and  deck  hands  at  that  time  on  the  Missouri  and 
lower  Mississippi  were  all  negro  slaves,  and  in  this  line 
of  employment  there  was  little  encouragement  for  "po* 
white  trash." 

Experience  teaches  that  in  great  emergencies  man  hesi- 
tates to  act  alone,  and  if  he  can  enlist  the  sympathy  and 
cooperation  of  a  congenial  spirit  before  venturing  upon 
the  uncertain  sea,  the  task  is  already  relieved  of  a  large 
share  of  its  burden.  Accordingly,  I  sought  a  companion 
like-minded  with  myself,  and  together  we  resolved  to  start 
on  foot  down  the  Missouri  River,  traveling  until  a  more 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  9 

populous  country  was  reached,  there  hoping  to  find  em- 
ployment more  congenial  to  our  tastes.  George  Everett, 
my  fellow-voyager  on  this  expedition,  was  a  telegraph 
operator,  and,  where  telegraph  lines  were  in  use,  could 
ordinarily  find  employment  and  demand  good  wages.  His 
immediate  prospects,  therefore,  were  :  vach  better  than 
mine,  for  up  to  this  time  I  had  never  ventured  upon  any 
business  enterprise  involving  a  greater  c.mount  of  talent 
than  the  breaking  and  handling  of  a  yoke  of  calves. 

We  traveled  all  one  day  parallel  with  the  river,  through 
a  wilderness  country,  never  meeting  a  human  being  until 
nightfall,  when  we  came  upon  a  skiff  secreted  in  the  brush 
on  the  banks  of  the  river.  Casting  about,  we  could  dis- 
cover no  owner,  and  resolved  to  appropriate  the  skiff  to 
our  own  use,  for  we  were  tired  and  desperately  hungry — 
the  scant  supply  of  rations  with  which  we  started  having 
altogether  disappeared — so  without  further  ceremony  we 
entered  the  skiff  and  cast  it  off. 

Now,  to  those  unacquainted  with  its  turbulent,  muddy 
and  shifting  currents,  the  Missouri  River,  in  a  high  stage 
of  water  as  it  was  then,  is  a  very  treacherous  and  danger- 
ous stream  to  navigate,  even  in  daylight  with  experienced 
river  men;  but  for  a  stranger  to  entrust  himself  upon  its 
surging  waters  at  night  and  in  a  small  boat  is  to  invite 
disaster;  but  these  facts  were  thrust  upon  us  when  it  was 
too  late  to  avoid  the  dangers  upon  which  we  had  unwit- 
tingly entered. 

The  currents  of  the  Missouri  are  constantly  changing. 
While  one  bank  is  being  washed  away  the  opposite  shore  is 
filled  in  with  drifting  sands.  A  farmer  whose  holdings 
in  reality  are  being  swept  from  under  him  to-day  may  find 
their  equivalent  on  the  opposite  bank  to-morrow,  though 
they  may  be  in  another  State  or  county.  So  the  banks 


IO 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


from  year  to  year  are  disappearing  on  one  side  and  re- 
forming on  the  other.  This  change  is  constantly  going  on. 
The  original  town  of  St.  Joe  was  in  this  manner  entirely 
swept  away,  and  the  city  was  only  reclaimed  by  the  con- 
struction of  a  breakwater  or  bulkhead  at  an  expense  of 
many  thousands  of  dollars. 

In  consequence  of  these  changes,  on  the  side  to  which 
the  mass  of  water  trends,  forest  trees,  stumps,  logs  and 
sometimes  houses  and  barns  drop  into  the  current.  Trunks 
of  trees  formerly  covered  by  drifting  sands  are  exposed  to 
view  and  often  project  many  feet  out  over  the  river,  mak- 
ing navigation  both  difficult  and  dangerous.  Floodwoods 
are  being  submerged  and  partially  hidden  by  the  filling-in 
process,  sometimes  giving  rise  to  those  most  dangerous  of 
all  obstacles  on  the  river,  known  to  river  men  as  "sawyers." 
These  are  immense  trees  whose  roots  are  still  anchored  at 
the  bottom,  and  whose  trunks  are  swayed  with  a  horizontal 
motion  like  a  sawgate  in  the  old-time  mill. 

Upon  such  a  stream  as  this  Everett  and  myself  were  now 
launched  in  a  frail  skiff,  and  in  an  intensely  dark  night; 
but  in  addition  to  the  terrors  already  described,  and  as  if 
to  put  our  nerves  to  the  supreme  test,  a  thunderstorm  of 
great  violence  arose,  followed  by  a  downpour  of  rain  that 
threatened  to  swamp  our  little  bark  and  drive  her  to  the 
bottom  at  once.  Fearing  now  to  approach  the  shore  for  a 
landing,  by  the  use  of  strong  paddles  we  kept  as  near  the 
center  of  the  stream  as  possible,  while  the  mad  current 
swept  us  along  with  the  swiftness  of  an  arrow ;  trusting 
to  Providence  to  steer  us  clear  of  "sawyers"  and  other 
dangers  with  which  we  were  beset,  we  held  steadily  on. 

It  was  well  along  into  the  night  when,  running  unavoid- 
ably close  to  the  left  bank  of  the  river  and  going  at  a 
tremendous  speed,  we  shot  headlong  into  a  tree  top  whose 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  n 

base  was  still  anchored  to  the  shore.  The  skiff  immediately 
careened  over,  filling  with  water,  and  the  next  moment 
was  swept  from  under  our  feet,  while  both  clung  desper- 
ately to  the  overhanging  limbs.  A  powerful  current  nearly 
carried  us  away,  but  by  dint  of  great  effort  both  finally 
reached  the  shore,  when,  a  few  moments  later,  the  whole 
tree  was  swept  out  bodily  into  the  stream. 

Daylight  soon  coming  on,  we  reached  a  near-by  farm- 
house and  there  told  our  "hard  luck"  story,  receiving,  in 
return,  a  good  breakfast;  but,  unsuccessful  in  finding  em- 
ployment, we  started  on  foot  for  St.  Joe,  still  six  miles 
distant.  Reaching  the  latter  place,  a  boat  lying  at  the 
wharf  was  about  ready  to  start  down  the  river,  and  Everett, 
who  was  anxious  to  reach  St.  Louis,  concluded  to  go 
aboard  and  take  chances  for  a  passage  without  money  and 
without  price.  As  he  reached  the  deck  the  gangplank  was 
pulled  up,  the  bell  rang  and  the  boat  steamed  away  down 
the  river,  and  I  have  never  seen  or  heard  from  Everett 
from  that  day  to  this. 

Meantime  it  was  learned  that  teachers  were  in  demand 
in  the  country  districts  near  St.  Joe,  and  I  immediately 
started  out  to  look  up  a  school,  traveling  all  the  remainder 
of  that  day,  at  last  reaching  a  district  where  a  teacher  was 
wanted.  The  people  were  kind  and  hospitable  and  I  had 
little  trouble  in  arranging  the  details  for  a  school.  The 
next  day,  by  the  circulation  of  a  petition,  thirty  subscribers 
were  obtained,  who  agreed  to  pay  a  dollar  for  each  pupil 
for  a  four  months'  term  of  school.  But  before  beginning 
I  must  have  a  teacher's  certificate,  and  the  following  day 
walked  to  the  Superintendent's  home,  twenty  miles  distant 
in  the  country,  where  I  remained  over  night,  receiving, 
meantime,  the  coveted  document.  The  Superintendent 
was  a  tall,  lank  Tennesseean  about  fifty  years  of  age,  jolly, 


12 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


good-natured  and  good-hearted,  who  seemed  to  be  pretty 
well  informed  as  to  the  value  of  the  three  R's — "Reading, 
Kiting  and  Rithmetic" — but  in  his  philosophy  not  quite 
so  well  grounded,  believing  it  a  debatable  question  whether 
the  world  was  flat  or  round,,  so  he  concluded  it  might  be 
well  to  teach  both  theories  in  order  to  meet  the  varying 
opinions  that  prevailed  in  the  country.  Circumstances 
compelled  our  sleeping  together  that  night,  and  the  Super- 
intendent seemed  to  place  great  stress  upon  the  fact  that 
he  had  slept  with  a  live  Yankee^  .°.s  all  men  from  north  of 
Mason  and  Dixon's  line  were  denominated  in  the  South. 

Many  patrons,  though  living  in  the  most  primitive  way 
and  in  apparent  poverty,  sent  their  children  to  school,  pay- 
ing their  bills  promptly.  At  the  end  of  the  term  I  col- 
lected $150  in  gold  and  silver,  there  not  being  a  delinquent 
among  the  subscribers.  With  the  exception  of  a  small 
advance  I  had  received  for  the  purpose  of  replenishing  my 
wardrobe  (as  the  little  bundle  of  extra  clothing  I  possessed 
had  been  swept  away  by  the  angry  waters  of  the  Mis- 
souri), I  did  not  spend  a  cent  of  money  or  lose  a  day's 
time  in  the  four  months'  term  of  teaching. 

Wholesome  and  very  acceptable  board  was  furnished  at 
$2.00  a  week,  honey,  hominy,  corn  bread  and  rice  being 
the  staples  with  which  the  table  was  supplied. 

At  one  place  where  I  went  to  live  a  little  later,  the 
first  day  at  dinner,  after  showing  me  the  wash  basin, 
located  on  a  stump  near  the  well,  the  mother  called  out  to 
the  daughter,  a  girl  about  eighteen  years  of  age :  "Maria, 
go  and  git  the  gentleman  a  clean  towel."  "Th'  ant  nary 
'nother  clean  towel  in  the  house,"  was  the  prompt  reply. 
It  is  unnecessary  to  add,  perhaps,  that  I  did  not  regret  the 
absence  of  this  young  lady  from  my  school  during  the 
term.  -  < 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  13 

There  were  but  few  slaves  in  that  part  of  Missouri,  and 
as  a  rule  the  people  seemed  to  take  little  interest  in  the 
controversy  then  going  on  which  was  so  soon  to  plunge 
the  country  into  a  bloody  war. 

Becoming  attached  to  many  of  the  people,  who  were  the 
most  guileless,  hospitable  and  genuine  I  have  ever  known, 
I  had  arranged  to  teach  another  term  of  school,  but  during 
the  pending  vacation  took  a  trip  away  that  resulted  indi- 
rectly in  my  undoing. 

A  neighboring  teacher  with  whom  I  had  become  ac- 
quainted was  the  happy  possessor  of  a  Government  land 
warrant,  and,  as  very  little  of  the  public  lands  of  Kansas 
were  then  occupied,  it  was  his  purpose,  during  the  vacation 
season,  to  go  to  the  Territory  and  locate  a  "farm"  on  his 
warrant.  From  where  we  were  in  Missouri  to  Topeka,  the 
seat  of  government  for  the  Territory  of  Kansas,  and  the 
point  where  the  Government  Land  Office  was  located  was 
a  long,  tedious  and  somewhat  hazardous  journey  for  one 
alone,  as  "foot  and  walker's  line"  was  the  only  means  of 
conveyance.  So  my  good  offices  were  sought  as  a  com- 
panion for  the  trip — to  which  I  consented — and,  every- 
thing being  satisfactory,  we  started  out,  making  no  secret 
of  our  movements,  Bezell,  my  fellow-traveler,  footing  the 
bills  as  a  return  for  my  good  company,  and  serving  as  a 
witness  to  the  act  of  location,  and  incidentally,  as  I  be- 
lieved, to  fight  his  battles,  should  occasion  for  fighting 
arise. 

This  was  an  adventure  upon  which  I  entered  with  a 
hearty  good  will,  and  only  for  the  disaster  that  followed 
soon  after,  would  have  been  one  of  the  happiest  of  my 
career.  We  traveled  down  the  river,  most  of  the  way 
through  a  beautiful  country,  on  the  Missouri  side,  till 
opposite  Fort  Leavenworth,  where  we  crossed  over.  Out- 


I4  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

side  of  Lawrence  and  Topeka  and  the  few  intervening 
settlements  as  landmarks,  one  might  as  well  have  been  out 
on  the  broad  ocean  without  rudder,  chart  or  compass. 

There  was  an  Indian  reservation  to  cross,  a  good  many 
rough  characters  to  encounter,  and  the  question  of  meals 
to  be  considered,  but  reasonably  good  lodgings  were  to  be 
found  almost  anywhere  under  the  blue  and  starry  dome. 
But  two  young  fellows,  strong,  active  and  vigilant,  with 
money  to  spend  when  necessary,  had  no  reason  for  fear  or 
hesitation,  and  so  altogether,  the  trip  was  enjoyed  by 
both  beyond  any  power  of  mine  to  describe. 

The  weather  was  delightful,  even  to  the  furnishing  of 
beautiful  moonlight  nights.  Vegetation  was  abundant,  and 
native  grasses,  knee-high,  waved  and  undulated  with  every 
passing  zephyr.  The  variegated  hues  and  sweet  fragrance 
of  wild  flowers  delighted  the  senses  at  every  turn,  and,  at 
that  period  at  least,  nature  lavished  her  bounties  upon 
Kansas  with  an  unstinted  hand. 

Having  explored  a  good  portion  of  the  territory  lying 
between  Leavenworth,  Lawrence  and  the  Osage  River,  we 
came  upon  an  unoccupied  section  that  seemed  to  possess 
the  advantages  of  soil  and  other  requirements  that  had 
been  our  dream  of  a  suitable  homestead,  and  here  Bezell 
decided  to  locate  his  warrant. 

Accordingly,  we  traveled  ten  miles  further  that  day  in 
search  of  a  man  with  an  ox-team  to  haul  a  load  of  boards 
out  of  which  we  might  construct  a  house  according  to 
plans  and  specifications  already  drawn  up  in  the  mind  of 
the  expectant  proprietor,  as  certain  "improvements"  of  this 
character  were  necessary  to  meet  the  requirements  of  Uncle 
Sam.  We  arrived  at  the  "homestead"  that  evening  with 
the  entire  outfit,  consisting  of  twenty  boards  1  x  12,  twelve 
feet  long;  two  pounds  of  ten-penny  nails,  an  axe,  a  hammer 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  15 

and  a  saw,  a  coffee-pot,  tin  cups,  a  pound  of  hard  tack  and  a 
jug  of  water.  At  9  P.  M.  the  house  was  completed  and 
everything  made  ready  for  occupancy;  and  now  the  ques- 
tion of  a  proper  dedication  and  a  suitable  name  must  be 
settled.  For  the  latter,  both  being  teachers,  we  decided 
without  much  controversy  upon  "The  Pedagogue's  Rest." 
Then,  proceeding  to  brew  coffee,  we  drank  to  the  health, 
happiness  and  long  life  of  the  proprietor.  Thus  the  last 
act  was  performed  for  the  acquirement  of  sovereign  citizen- 
ship in  Kansas. 

Early  the  following  morning  we  started  for  Topeka  and 
the  United  States  Land  Office,  passing  through  Lawrence 
on  the  way.  In  Topeka  there  were  but  three  or  four  one- 
story  wooden  buildings,  consisting  of  upright  and  un- 
dressed boards.  On  this  part  of  our  journey,  while  sleep- 
ing out  one  night  on  the  prairie,  I  dreamed  of  being  on 
board  a  railroad  train,  when  the  conductor  coming  through 
the  car  called  out,  "Topeka,  twenty  minutes  for  refresh- 
ments!" On  awaking  in  the  morning,  this  dream  being 
fresh  in  memory,  I  repeated  it  to  Bezell,  and  after  deliber- 
ating upon  and  revolving  the  matter  between  us  for  a  time, 
the  conclusion  was  reached  that  the  dream  should  be  inter- 
preted to  mean  that  sometime  in  the  remote  future  a  rail- 
road would  be  built  from  a  point  on  the  Missouri  River  to 
Topeka;  but  that  it  should  be  done  within  our  day  and 
generation  did  not  at  that  time  seem  probable.  In  view 
of  the  network  of  railroads  spread  over  the  State  at  this 
writing  for  the  accommodation  of  a  teeming  population 
the  prediction  of  that  early  time  seems  to  have  been  lack- 
ing in  the  elements  of  true  prophecy. 

It  was  now  near  the  time  for  the  beginning  of  a  second 
school  term,  and  I  hurried  back  to  Missouri  in  anticipa- 
tion of  taking  up  the  work  with  renewed  vigor,  but  found, 


1 6  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

on  reaching  the  district,  that  mischief  had  been  brewing  of 
which  I  had  received  no  previous  intimation. 

Owned  by  the  family  where  I  had  already  arranged  to 
make  my  home  was  an  old  negro  woman  who  had  appar- 
ently outlived  her  days  of  usefulness,  and  there  being 
little  service  required  of  her,  she  spent  a  good  deal  of  time 
moaning  and  swaying  her  body  to  and  fro  as  if  bewailing 
her  fate;  and  while  I  had,  as  a  rule,  scrupulously  avoided 
talking  with  any  slave  when  apart  from  his  master,  I  had 
ventured  to  speak  to  this  inoffensive  old  "Auntie"  once  or 
twice,  inquiring,  purely  on  the  grounds  of  sympathy,  as  to 
the  underlying  cause  of  her  complaint.  I  had  done  this 
as  one  might  be  led  to  inquire  into  the  condition  of  any 
of  the  brute  creation  whose  suffering  was  apparent.  But 
even  this  slight  incident  had  been  observed  and  my  motive 
misinterpreted. 

A  man  in  the  district,  who  was  the  owner  of  a  number  of 
slaves  and  also  ambitious  of  political  honors  in  the  county, 
had  taken  occasion  to  find  fault  with  the  mode  of  teaching 
and  management  of  the  school,  and  while  the  family  at  my 
boarding  house  were  loyal  and  friendly,  he  had,  on  several 
occasions  in  speaking  to  them  of  the  matter,  reverted  to 
the  incident  of  the  old  slave  woman,  and  branded  me  as 
an  "abolitionist." 

I  had  endeavored  to  correct  the  orthography  and  pro- 
nunciation in  vogue  among  many  of  the  pupils,  such  as 
saying  "po"  instead  of  poor,  and  "wah"  instead  of  war; 
but  these  innovations  were  not  well  received  by  those  who 
had  been  most  prejudiced,  and  I  was  accused  of  "learning" 
the  pupils  to  "stuttah."  This  had  come  to  me  from  those 
whom  I  knew  to  be  friendly,  and  as  long  as  I  had  their 
support,  moral  and  material,,  I  determined  to  continue  the 
school  according  to  contract. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  17 

But  "give  a  dog  a  bad  name"  is  a  trite  saying  that  might 
have  been  aptly  applied  to  Yankee  school  teachers  in  the 
Southern  States  just  prior  to  the  war,  and  as  rumors  of 
my  abolition  predilections  continued  to  be  circulated  the 
attendance  upon  the  school  fell  off.  Finally,  one  fine  morn- 
ing I  was  waited  upon  by  a  delegation  consisting  of  three 
men,  patrons  of  the  school,  assuming  to  speak  for  all,  who 
demanded  the  cancellation  of  my  contract  and  the  imme- 
diate abandonment  of  the  school. 

Accordingly,  I  dismissed  the  pupils  for  the  day  and 
returned  to  my  boarding  quarters,  where  the  whole  subject 
was  discussed  by  the  family,  among  whom  were  the  father 
and  three  or  four  grown-up  boys,  all  of  whom  pledged  their 
support  in  the  school  and  protection  against  personal  injury 
so  long  as  I  remained  under  their  roof.  There  were  no 
less  than  five  shotguns  kept  in  the  house,  in  the  use  of 
which  all  the  male  members  of  the  family  were  experts, 
and  these  were  pointed  out  to  me  as  a  guarantee  of  their 
ability  to  fulfill  any  agreement  they  might  enter  upon 
along  these  lines;  and,  having  faith  in  their  sincerity,  I 
concluded  to  remain,  so  the  next  morning  opened  school 
with  three  pupils  in  their  accustomed  places  and  three 
shotguns  sitting  in  the  corner. 

Sympathizing  pupils  came  to  me  that  day,  repeating 
threats  they  had  overheard,  all  seeming  to  be  pretty  well 
demoralized,  and,  in  consequence,  the  purposes  of  the 
school  were  rendered  ineffectual.  In  addition  to  all  this, 
taking  into  consideration  the  fact  that  I  had  never  been 
accustomed  to  the  settlement  of  difficulties  by  use  of  the 
shotgun,  I  decided  discretion  to  be  the  better  part  of  valor 
and  dismissed  the  school  at  once  and  for  all. 

It  was  twelve  miles  to  the  nearest  point  where  the  stage 
passed  on  its  route  from  St.  Joe  to  Hannibal,  and  this  I 


1 8  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

resolved  to  reach  that  night.  So  arranging  my  affairs  at 
once,  and  reluctantly  bidding  my  friends  good-bye,  in 
company  with  two  of  the  young  men  of  the  family,  armed 
with  shotguns,  I  reached  the  stage  about  9  o'clock  that 
night  and  took  passage  for  Hannibal,  and  there  crossing 
the  Mississippi  River  to  Quincy,  Illinois,  I  reached  my 
home  in  Michigan  by  rail  a  few  days  later. 

Upon  the  all-absorbing  question  of  the  extension  of 
slavery  the  sentiment  of  the  people  in  the  border  States 
was  divided.  There  were  undoubtedly  as  many  opposed  to 
the  institution  of  slavery  as  there  were  in  favor  of  it,  but 
the  latter  were  the  ruling  class.  It  was  frequently  the 
case  that  two  or  three  men,  at  most,  dominated  the  politics 
of  a  county,  and  a  proportionate  number  the  State. 
Clothed  with  so  much  power,  they  became  arrogant,  aggres- 
sive and  overbearing,  and  often  unscrupulous  in  the  treat- 
ment of  those  offering  opposition  to  their  demands. 

These  were  the  conditions  and  this  was  the  spirit  that 
carried  the  people  of  the  Southern  States  into  the  mael- 
strom of  rebellion  and  led  to  the  Civil  War. 

The  year  following  the  events  above  enumerated,  1860, 
Messrs.  Gale  and  Parker,  business  men  of  Kalamazoo, 
Michigan,  gathered  up  a  large  band  of  horses  to  be  driven 
across  the  plains  for  the  market  in  California,  engaging  a 
number  of  young  men  in  that  vicinity  for  the  passage 
and  to  aid  in  driving  and  caring  for  the  stock  on  the  long 
and  tedious  overland  route. 

The  first  westward  venture  along  the  Missouri  Eiver 
and  the  Kansas  border  not  being  successful  in  every  detail 
had  served  to  awaken  a  passion  for  fresh  fields  for  investi- 
gation ;  and  the  pace  of  a  <fbull-team"  being  altogether  too 
slow  to  suit  my  ardent  desires  at  that  period  of  life,  I 
readily  joined  this  later  expedition. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  19 

Accordingly,  the  horses  having  been  purchased  and  the 
company  made  up,  all  are  shipped  via  Chicago,  Quincy 
and  Hannibal  to  St.  Joe.  This  was  the  same  route  taken 
when  on  my  way  home  the  year  before  with  this  exception : 
that  portion  from  the  Missouri  Eiver,  directly  across  the 
State  to  the  Mississippi  by  stage,  was  now  covered  in  the 
opposite  direction  by  rail.  Such  was  the  progress  being 
made  at  this  early  time  in  the  way  of  rapid  transportation 
into  the  untamed  West. 

St.  Joe,  then  styled  the  "Jumping-off  Place,"  but  now 
reached  directly  by  rail  as  well  as  by  river,  had  become 
the  chief  outfitting  point  for  the  upper  Missouri  and 
Mississippi  country  in  the  great  exodus  westward  now 
taking  place,  and  here  was  the  Eastern  terminus  and  start- 
ing point  for  the  world-renowned 

"POXY  EXPKESS." 

On  the  23d  day  of  April,  1860,  the  first  Pony  rider 
started  from  St.  Joe  toward  the  setting  sun,  and  on  the 
same  day  and  hour  another  rider  started  eastward  from 
Sacramento. 

The  Pony  Express  was  an  organization  perfected  and 
put  in  operation  to  meet  the  necessities  of  the  growing 
population  of  the  distant  West  in  the  transmission  of  the 
mails  and  important  dispatches  in  the  absence  of  railroad 
or  telegraphic  communication.  •  Letters  for  the  Pacific 
Coast  via  Cape  Horn  were  from  three  to  six  months  in 
transmission,  and,  aside  from  this,  the  best  that  could  be 
done  was  to  send  via  the  Isthmus  of  Panama,  and  it  re- 
quired at  least  thirty  days  to  cover  this  route.  The  Pony 
Express,  over  snow-capped  mountains,  across  desert  wastes 
and  through  hostile  Indian  tribes,  reduced  this  time  to  ten 


20 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


days,  from  one  extreme  end  of  the  route  to  the  other.  Two 
hundred  riders  and  five  hundred  horses — Western  bronchos 
— were  employed  in  the  work. 

Never  before  nor  since  in  the  world's  record  was  a 
courier  line  established  carrying  mail  so  far  with  such 
regularity  and  in  so  short  a  time  by  horse  power  alone, 
and  never  has  the  art  of  horseback  riding  been  reduced 
to  such  a  degree  of  perfection.  Some  of  the  men  whose 
names  have  since  become  famous  in  Western  annals  began 
their  careers  on  the  plains  in  early  youth  as  Pony  Express 
riders.  William  F.  Cody,  "Buffalo  Bill,"  then  only  sixteen 
years  of  age,  was  among  the  most  famous  of  these  daring 
Jehus.  Cody  is  said  to  have  made  a  round  trip — necessi- 
tated by  the  killing  of  his  relief  by  Indians — of  384  miles 
without  a  stop,  except  to  change  horses  and  swallow  one 
hearty  meal. 

Starting  from  the  same  point  and  about  the  same  time 
as  our  party  did  with  that  of  the  Pony,  and  traveling  2,000 
miles  over  the  same  route,  he  becomes  an  important  factor 
in  the  progress  of  our  story  and  will  no  doubt  prove  worthy 
of  the  space  awarded  him.  There  were  regular  stations 
kept  for  the  pony  and  riders  on  the  plains  at  intervals 
where  water  and  other  conveniences  could  be  obtained; 
sometimes  not  more  than  twenty,  but  in  other  places  as 
far  as  one  hundred  miles  apart.  Often  a  single  rider  cov- 
ered two  or  more  stations,  but  at  each  station,  to  be  pre- 
pared for  emergencies,  an  extra  relay  of  ponies  and  riders 
was  kept  in  readiness.  By  day  and  night  the  pace  once 
begun  was  never  broken.  Five  dollars  an  ounce  was  the 
price  for  carrying  letters,  and  no  bulky  or  heavy  matter 
was  accepted,  fifteen  pounds'  weight  being  the  limit.  Im- 
portant commercial  papers  and  what  is  now  designated  as 
the  "Press  Dispatches,"  and  carried  around  the  world  in 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


21 


a  few  seconds  by  telegraph,  comprised  the  bulk  of  the  mail 
carried  by  the  Pony,  and  this  must  all  be  written  on  tissue 
paper  to  reduce  its  weight  and  bulk. 

By  day  and  night  these  courageous  and  tireless  riders 
were  encountered  as  we  journeyed  westward,  always  salut- 
ing as  they  went  by,  but  on  no  pretext  whatever  would  they 
break  the  lope  from  one  end  of  the  route  to  the  other. 

The  Indians  were  hostile  that  year  on  the  plains,  and 
these  solitary  pony  riders  were  often  made  the  object  of 
their  murderous  attacks;  and  this  condition  also  made  it 
imperative  on  our  part  to  maintain  vigilant  watch,  as 
subsequent  events  will  disclose.  On  nearing  a  station  at 
night,  and  often  in  the  daytime,  the  rider  would  fire  three 
shots  from  a  pistol  in  rapid  succession  in  order  to  alarm 
the  keeper,  who,  thus  forewarned,  would  have  a  fresh 
mount  ready  on  the  moment,  that  there  might  be  no  delay 
and  the  mail  carried  through  on  schedule  time.  Between 
stations,  where  hostile  demonstrations  by  the  Indians  were 
the  most  frequent,  two  or  three  riders  were  put  on  for 
mutual  protection  and  the  better  to  insure  the  safe  conduct 
of  the  mail. 

Twice  on  the  journey  we  were  met  or  overtaken  by 
riders  who  had  been  wounded,  as  they  informed  us  and  as 
their  bloody  shirts  and  pale  faces  plainly  indicated;  but 
they  held  steadily  to  the  course,  determined  that  nothing 
short  of  death  should  break  the  schedule  time  for  the 
mail.  It  was  a  sight  to  arouse  the  sympathy  of  all  and 
caused  no  little  alarm  in  camp  to  see  one  day  a  pony  go 
loping  by  with  an  empty  saddle,  save  only  the  little  sack 
of  mail;  the  force  of  habit  and  the  homing  instinct  with 
the  pony  earning  him  through  to  the  end  of  his  route, 
though  the  brave  rider  lay  somewhere  along  the  trail,  cold 
and  stiff  in  death. 


22  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

But  there  were  other  perils  equally  great  with  those 
caused  by  hostile  Indians.  Snowstorms  on  the  mountains, 
floods  in  the  rivers  and  tempests  on  the  plains  had  to  be 
met  and  overcome.  Once  in  crossing  the  Platte,  a  very 
treacherous  stream  to  ford,  a  pony  sank  in  the  quicksands 
and  was  drqwned.  But  the  rider,  with  the  sack  of  mail 
in  his  teeth,  swam  ashore,  carrying  it  fifteen  miles  on  foot 
to  the  station,  where  he  arrived  only  an  hour  behind 
schedule  time. 

During  a  terrific  storm  in  the  mountains  a  pony,  making 
a  misstep  on  the  slippery  rocks,  fell  and  his  leg  was  broken. 
The  rider,  as  an  act  of  mercy,  shot  the  faithful  little 
animal,  and  with  the  sack  of  mail  wandered  eighteen  hours 
on  foot  in  a  blinding  snowstorm  before  reaching  a  station. 

The  time  will  never  be  forgotten  when  we  first  became 
acquainted  with  the  means  adopted  by  the  riders  for  warn- 
ing the  station  keepers  of  their  approach.  While  encamped 
on  the  trail  one  night  a  quarter  of  a  mile  from  a  station 
a  rider  in  passing  fired  the  accustomed  three  shots.  We 
were  in  a  dangerous  country  and  close  watch  was  being 
kept,  and  the  men  on  guard  that  night,  thinking  the  firing 
was  but  the  preliminary  skirmish  of  a  more  extended 
attack,  in  great  alarm  fired  their  guns  in  the  air,  and 
shouting  "Indians !"  ran  hurriedly  into  camp.  This  cre- 
ated a  general  alarm,  and  every  available  man  was  up  in 
a  moment.  The  wagons  were  already  corralled  so  as  to 
form  a  barricade,  and  behind  these,  according  to  estab- 
lished usages,  we  were  all  hastening  under  arms,  when 
the  horses  took  the  alarm  and  stampeded  in  a  body.  It 
was  a  condition  that  confronted  us  now  and  not  a  theory. 
Already  jaded  and  needing  rest  and  recuperation,  the 
animals  were  hardly  equal  to  this  extra  strain,  and  it 
required  strenuous  effort  for  the  next  twenty-four  hours  to 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  23 

effect  a  "round-up,"  and  as  much  longer  to  rest  and  pre- 
pare them  for  the  journey  yet  ahead. 

An  alarm  creating  a  stampede  apparently  passes  through 
a  band  of  horses  like  an  electric  shock,  and  every  hoof 
moves  in  unison.  Any  old  "skate,"  ringboned  and  spav- 
ined though  he  may  be,  and  on  the  verge  of  dissolution, 
will  be  "up  and  a-coming"  with  the  best  of  them  in  a 
stampede. 

The  horse  in  his  wild  state,  like  the  deer  or  rabbit, 
evidently  was  created  for  flight  in  time  of  danger  rather 
than  for  defense,  and  in  his  intimate  association  with  man 
for  thousands  of  years  has  not  outgrown  the  instinct  that 
teaches  him  to  take  to  his  heels  when  alarmed,  rather  than 
stand  his  ground  and  fight,  if  necessary,  in  self-defense. 

One  of  the  finest  of  our  band  of  horses,  a  "Suffolk 
Punch,"  was  an  importation  direct  from  England  and 
weighed,  when  we  started,  twenty-four  hundred  pounds. 
He  was  a  thing  of  beauty,  and  in  disposition  gentle  and 
tractable  as  a  dog.  A  boy  sixteen  years  old  was  his  attend- 
ant and  keeper.  Punch  seemed  to  have  a  fondness  for  the 
boy,  who  fed  him,  rubbed  his  legs,  climbed  on  his  back, 
rode  and  fondled  him  as  a  child  might  fondle  any  house- 
hold pet.  But  in  course  of  time  the  horse,  on  the  long 
and  tiresome  journey,  became  irritable  and  would  allow 
no  one  excepting  the  boy  to  come  near  him.  Once  breaking 
loose  he  sprang  upon  a  gelding,  crushed  him  to  the 
ground,  and  soon  would  have  trampled  and  bit  his  life  out 
had  there  been  no  interference.  The  horse  seemed  to  be 
afflicted  as  men  often  are  in  prolonged  sieges  of  physical 
endurance,  when  they  lose  their  mental  balance  and  become 
testy  and  sometimes  quarrelsome,  and  serious  difficulty 
arises. 

A  little  later  along,  after  this  occurrence,  we  halted  one 


24  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

day  for  fuel  and  rest,  when  the  boy,  as  was  his  habit,  took 
the  horse  out  to  "bait"  at  the  end  of  his  halter,  a  few 
yards  distant  from  camp.  The  horse  lay  down,  and,  after 
his  accustomed  "roll,"  arose  and  shook  himself  as  a  lion 
shakes  his  mane,  when  the  boy  in  turn  lazily  stretched 
himself  out  on  the  ground,  having  hold  of  the  end  of  the 
halter.  But  suddenly,  like  some  infuriated  wild  beast,  the 
horse  sprang  to  his  side,  seized  him  by  his  clothing,  and, 
lifting  him  bodily  between  his  powerful  jaws,  shook  the 
boy  as  a  dog  would  shake  a  rat;  and  then,  lowering  him 
to  the  ground,  proceeded  to  trample  the  boy  with  his  iron- 
shod  hoofs.  A  half-dozen  men  with  neck  yokes,  singletrees 
and  whatever  weapons  could  be  seized  upon  at  the  moment 
ran  forward  and  beat  the  horse  off.  The  boy,  limp  and 
unconscious,  was  carried  to  the  nearest  wagon,  where 
restoratives  were  applied,  and  he  soon  revived,  his  first 
words  being  not  of  himself,  but  "What's  the  matter  with 
Punch  ?"  Punch  was  then  chained  to  the  hind  end  of  the 
heaviest  wagon,  from  which  he  was  never  released  until 
he  reached  California.  There,  after  a  little  rest  and  quiet, 
his  wonted  good  nature  returned.  The  boy's  left  nipple, 
with  a  piece  of  the  skin  as  large  as  the  palm  of  one's  hand, 
was  taken  off,  though  no  bones  were  broken,  and  he  soon 
recovered  from  his  injuries,  but  forever  after  lost  faith  in 
his  pet. 

Buffalo  were  plentiful  along  the  line  of  our  march  at 
this  time,  and,  though  wild  and  difficult  of  approach  within 
rifle  range,  before  passing  the  feeding  grounds  I  had 
determined  to  have 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  25 

A  BUFFALO  HUNT. 

It  was  on  the  headwaters  of  the  Platte  that  we  went 
into  camp  one  evening,  expecting  to  remain  a  day  or  two 
for  rest  and  recuperation.  As  indicated  by  the  "chips/5 
which  were  our  only  fuel  for  cooking  purposes,  the  much- 
coveted  game  seemed  to  be  abundant,  and  as  burning  the 
"chips"  was  about  as  close  to  a  buffalo  as  any  of  our  party 
so  far  had  approached,  I  thought  this  the  time  and  place 
to  test  my  skill,  surprise  the  camp  and  awaken  a  general 
feeling  of  good-natured  envy  by  killing  one  or  more  of 
these  monarchs  of  the  plains. 

The  next  morning  before  fairly  light  I  started  out, 
armed  with  a  Sharp's  carbine  and  plenty  of  ammunition, 
elate  with  the  prospect  of  reaching  a  "wallow"  before  the 
departure  of  the  buffalo  for  the  feeding  grounds.  I  trav- 
eled on  and  on,  straining  my  eyes  at  every  dark  object  in 
the  distance,  till  just  at  sunrise  on  the  crest  of  a  ridge 
about  a  mile  away  the  form  of  a  monster  buffalo  loomed 
up  against  the  blue  sky.  His  appearance  to  me  was  like 
that  of  the  cyclone  as  described  by  Bill  Nye :  "fully  seven- 
teen hands  high,  with  a  black  mane  and  tail,"  and  he 
was  surely  "coming  my  way."  Presently  two  or  three 
more  came  in  sight,  when  I  secreted  myself  in  a  gulch 
and  anxiously  awaited  developments.  One  after  another 
they  continued  to  appear  over  the  ridge  until  about  three 
hundred  were  in  full  view.  They  were  feeding  with  heads 
down,  and  in  a  slow,  glacial-like  movement  came  nearer 
and  nearer. 

Distances  are  deceiving  on  the  plains,  and  when  the 
herd  came,  as  I  believed,  within  rifle  range,  with  as  much 
composure  as  possible  I  drew  a  bead  on  the  foremost  one 
and  fired.  From  experiences  since  gained  in  measuring 


26  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

distances  in  the  clear  and  rarefied  air  of  the  higher  alti- 
tudes I  am  convinced  my  shot  fell  short  a  hundred  yards 
or  more;  but  the  buffalo  was  evidently  deceived  as  to  the 
direction  from  which  the  report  of  my  rifle  came,  for 
instead  of  turning  in  flight,  as  anticipated,  they  raised 
their  heads,  and  with  a  rush  and  roar  like  that  of  some 
immense  cataract,  fairly  shaking  the  ground,  they  came 
toward  me  head  on.  This  was  assuming  an  aspect  on  their 
part  altogether  unlooked  for,  for  at  the  present  pace, 
unless  in  some  way  turned  or  checked,  the  whole  herd 
would  be  upon  me  in  a  few  moments  more.  Hastily 
throwing  another  cartridge  into  the  gun,  without  much 
aim  or  thought,  I  fired  a  second  shot,  and  still  another.  By 
this  time  they  seemed  to  take  cognizance  of  my  presence, 
and,  changing  direction  to  the  right,  soon  passed  over  the 
ridge  out  of  sight.  I  looked  anxiously  to  see  one  or  more 
fall,  and  was  enthusiastic  enough  to  follow  on  their  trail 
for  some  distance,  looking  for  ffblood"  or  other  evidence 
of  my  skill  as  a  hunter  and  marksman,  but  was  doomed 
to  disappointment.  Had  one  fallen,  so  elated  was  I  with 
the  hope  of  bringing  back  some  substantial  evidence  of 
my  prowess  I  might  have  undertaken  to  drag  a  whole  car- 
cass with  me  into  camp;  but  as  matters  finally  turned  out 
I  was  glad  enough  to  reach  headquarters  that  night  without 
being  so  handicapped. 

Indeed,  I  had  traveled  much  farther  than  anticipated, 
and  on  the  return  trip  laid  down  to  rest  in  a  thicket  of 
willows  on  the  river  bottom,  being  well  nigh  exhausted, 
and  soon  fell  into  a  sound  sleep.  From  this  I  was  partially 
aroused  by  a  great  noise  and  commotion  of  some  kind  going 
on  around  me.  There  was  the  tramp  of  hoofs,  and  the 
first  thought  was  that  the  tables  had  been  turned  and  the 
buffalo  herd  was  now  hunting  me.  But  my  fears  soon 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  27 

took  on  a  different  form,  for  now  I  could  distinguish  a 
babel  of  voices,  none  of  which  seemed  intelligible;  and 
then  it  occurred  to  me  possibly  my  sleep  had  been  like  that 
of  Rip  Van  Winkle,  and  I  had  awakened  in  another  age 
and  time.  But  returning  to  full  consciousness,  what  was 
my  surprise  to  find  myself  surrounded  by  a  large  band 
of  Indians  just  going  into  camp  near  the  willows  that  had 
sheltered  me  from  the  rays  of  the  sun. 

Here  was  an  unlocked  for  turn  of  events,  and  the  dis- 
covery occasioned  no  little  uneasiness,  as  it  was  now  nearly 
nightfall  and  I  was  yet  two  or  three  miles  distant  from 
my  friends,  and  the  attitude  these  savages  would  assume 
toward  me  when  my  presence  among  them  was  discovered 
was  a  matter  that  could  not  be  foretold.  The  women  and 
children  were  all  busy  arranging  the  camp,  and  as  I  arose 
a  number  of  "warriors"  (gentlemen  of  leisure)  came  up 
and  accosted  me  with  the  customary  salutation  "how,"  this 
word  being  about  the  extent  of  aboriginal  acquirement  of 
the  "foreign"  languages  up  to  that  time.  They  seemed 
about  as  much  surprised  as  I  was  myself,  and  I  undertook 
to  tell  them  there  was  a  large  encampment  of  white  men 
a  short  distance  down  the  river,  and  that  one  shot  from  my 
gun,  like  a  blast  from  Roderick's  horn,  would  be  "worth 
a  thousand  men." 

It  was  plain  to  be  seen  their  attention  up  to  this  time 
was  taken  largely  with  my  gun,  and  as  I  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  the  use  of  a  rifle  from  early  boyhood,  and  at 
any  ordinary  range  was  accounted  a  good  off-hand  shot,  I 
resolved  to  give  them  an  exhibition  of  my  skill,  and  at 
the  same  time  impress  upon  their  untutored  minds  the 
merits  of  a  breech-loading  gun.  I  had  an  earthen  jug  with 
me  which  had  contained  water,  and  in  the  sign  language 
directed  a  young  Indian  to  hang  it  on  a  bush  about  a 


28  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

hundred  yards  distant.  He  had  barely  complied  with  this 
request  and  stepped  aside  when  I  drew  up  and  shattered 
the  jug  at  the  first  shot,  the  handle  alone  remaining. 
Though  receiving  this  with  the  stoicism  so  common  to  the 
Indian,  it  was  evident  an  impression  had  been  made,  and, 
following  up  the  advantage,  I  slipped  another  cartridge 
into  the  barrel  and  fired  a  second  shot,  this  time  striking 
the  remaining  portion  of  the  jug,  off  the  limb.  They 
looked  on  in  ill-concealed  amazement  as  the  possibilities 
of  this  wonderful  weapon  were  thus  demonstrated,  and 
a  leader  among  them  made  several  attempts  to  get  posses- 
sion of  the  gun,  ostensibly  for  a  closer  inspection,  but  I 
succeeded  in  parrying  him  with  trifling  excuses,  keeping 
the  gun  in  my  own  hands. 

Being  satisfied  that  a  favorable  impression  had  been 
created,  I  took  advantage  of  the  opportunity,  and,  with- 
out waiting  for  an  invitation  to  "tea,"  bid  them  good-bye 
and  hurried  off  to  camp,  casting  back*furtive  glances  now 
and  then  to  see  if  there  .was  anything  like  a  hostile  move- 
ment going  on  behind.  They  were  Arapahoes,  a  powerful 
and  warlike  tribe,  but  friendly  with  the  whites  just  at  that 
time.  The  monotony  of  the  camp  was  relieved  with  stories 
of  the  buffalo  hunt  for  several  evenings  thereafter. 

Without  further  adventure  of  any  considerable  note  the 
middle  of  June  found  us  at  the  Devil's  Gate,  in  the  Wind 
River  Mountains,  in  what  is  now  the  western  portion  of 
the  State  of  Wyoming.  Our  camp  is  near  the  Pacific 
Springs,  the  first  water  found  on  the  route  flowing  toward 
the  Pacific  Ocean.  The  altitude  is  great,  the  winds  are 
high  and  during  our  stay  here  a  rain  sets  in,  which  soon 
turns  to  sleet  and  snow,  causing  great  suffering  among 
the  horses,  many  of  which  have  already  succumbed  to  the 
hardships  of  the  journey,  f  -  -  '  • 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  29 

The  Devil's  Gate  is  a  slit  or  gorge  in  the  mountains, 
through  which  flows  the  Wind  Eiver  on  its  eastern  pas- 
sage, emptying  into  the  Big  Horn.  This  gorge  seems  to 
be  the  connecting  link  or  outlet  for  the  air  currents  from 
west  to  east  and  vice  versa  as  they  surge  up  against  the 
rocky  barrier  of  the  great  Continental  Divide.  Through 
the  Devil's  Gate  the  winds  sometimes  rush  with  a  wailing 
sound  that  gives  rise  to  the  name  of  the  gorge,  while  the 
river  and  the  mountains  in  which  it  has  its  source  take 
their  name  from  the  winds  that  seem  constantly  to  blow. 
The  Divide,  so  called,  is  a  distinctive  feature  in  the  face 
of  the  country,  as  springs  are  found  here  whose  fountain 
heads  are  but  a  few  hundred  yards  apart  and  whose  waters 
flow  in  opposite  directions. 

After  a  fifteen  days'  march  from  the  Wind  Eiver  we 
reach  the  Wasatch  Mountains,  and  from  their  summit 
obtain  the  first  glimpse  of  Zion, 

THE  HOLY  CITY. 

The  route  leads  through  Echo  Canyon,  the  only  direct 
pass  from  the  East  through  the  Wasatch  Range  to  Salt 
Lake,  the  Mormon  capital.  This  pass  was  seized  upon  by 
the  Mormons  for  defense  against  the  United  States  Army, 
sent  across  the  plains  as  alluded  to  in  a  former  chapter. 
Active  preparations  were  made  to  make  Echo  Canyon  the 
Mormon  Thermopylae,  and  many  of  their  crude  fortifica- 
tions were  still  there.  Great  piles  of  rocks  had  been  placed 
along  the  rim  of  the  steep  bluffs  to  cover  their  sharp- 
shooters and  to  hurl  over  the  precipice  into  the  ranks  of 
an  invading  army.  Indeed,  this  spot  was  well  chosen,  and 
had  they  made  a  determined  stand  it  would  have  required 
a  great  sacrifice  of  men  to  have  dislodged  them.  An  army 


30  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

not  very  large  at  most,  two  thousand  miles  from  its  base, 
over  a  trackless  desert,  might,  by  a  few  determined  men, 
have  been  baffled  and  detained  there  months,  if  not  years. 
But  either  the  Government  had  been  misinformed  as  to 
their  intent  and  purposes  or  the  Mormons  must  have  come 
suddenly  down  from  the  high  horse  they  had  so  recently 
mounted  in  opposition  to  the  constituted  authorities. 

A  Peace  Commissioner  was  sent  out  from  Washington 
in  advance  of  the  army  to  inquire  into  the  political  status 
of  the  new  "State  of  Deseret,"  as  the  Mormons  had  named 
the  territory  upon  which  they  were  the  first  white  settlers, 
claiming  sovereignly  as  they  did  against  all  comers.  The 
report  of  this  Commissioner  was  made  the  basis  for  final 
adjustment  of  the  pending  difficulties.  So,  with  the  assur- 
ance of  good  faith  on  the  part  of  the  Mormons,  the  army, 
under  a  special  stipulation  to  that  effect,  passed  directly 
through  and  beyond  Salt  Lake  to  Camp  Floyd,  forty  miles 
south  and  west  from  the  city,  and  there  went  into  per- 
manent camp. 

But  in  filing  through  the  streets  of  Zion  a  very  strange 
sight  met  the  view.  A  place  under  normal  conditions  of 
about  twelve  thousand  inhabitants,  was  deserted,  except  for 
the  presence  of  a  few  men,  who  stood  with  torch  in  hand 
ready  to  fire  the  combustibles  that  had  been  previously 
prepared  and  placed  in  every  house  for  the  total  destruc- 
tion of  the  city  in  case  the  army  should  halt  there  and 
take  possession  contrary  to  agreement.  But  no  such  con- 
ditions arose  and  the  so-called  Mormon  War  came  sud- 
denly to  an  end. 

We  had  been  over  three  months  on  the  road,  and  the 
Great  Salt  Lake  basin,  as  viewed  from  the  summit  of  the 
Wasatch,  looked  to  us  beautiful  as  the  fabled  Garden  of 
the  Gods.  The  rations  of  flapjacks,  in  the  preparation  of 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  31 

which  our  cooks  had  become  expert,  with  the  simple  addi- 
tion of  salt  horse  and  coffee,  were  no  longer  regarded  as 
delicacies,  and  when  we  reached  the  valley,  where  milk, 
butter  and  eggs  were  plentiful,  though  held  at  fabulous 
prices,  a  day  of  rejoicing  had  surely  come.  But  even  this 
welcome  change  had  its  bitter  accompaniment,  for  all  prod- 
ucts of  the  dairy,  including  eggs,  had  a  salt  and  brackish 
taste,  against  which  an  overcrowded  stomach  soon  rebelled. 
Although  assured  by  the  prophets  that  this  trifling 
peculiarity,  incident  to  the  close  proximity  of  the  Great 
Salt  Lake  itself,  would  wear  away  with  prolonged  acquaint- 
ance, we  did  not  tarry  long  enough  to  test  the  truthfulness 
of  the  prophecy. 

It  was  about  the  first  of  July  that  we  passed  around  the 
southern  end  of  the  lake  where  Garfield  and  the  big 
smelters  now  stand.  The  Indians  to  the  westward  were 
known  to  be  hostile  and  there  had  been  no  Pony  through 
for  at  least  ten  days.  The  settlers  we  chanced  to  meet  on 
the  road  coming  in  to  Salt  Lake  in  great  alarm  all  gave 
the  same  account  of  existing  conditions,  predicting  a 
general 

INDIAN  OUTBKEAK. 

Beyond  the  settlements  was  a  desert  waste,  in  crossing 
which  water  had  to  be  carried,  and  as  the  necessity  arose 
rations  of  water  mixed  with  flour  were  parceled  out  to  the 
teams,  for  upon  keeping  up  the  strength  of  the  animals 
all  human  hope  depended.  In  this  extremity  we  traveled  a 
part  of  a  day  and  all  of  one  night  before  reaching  a  country 
where  water  and  feed  could  be  obtained,  and  then  in  no 
great  abundance.  On  this  "trek"  all  who  were  able  to  do  so, 
in  order  to  conserve  the  strength  of  the  horses,  were  com- 
pelled to  walk  through  alkali  beds  and  hot,  burning  sands. 


32  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Grave  matters  were  now  being  presented  for  our  con- 
sideration. The  train  had  been  augmented  by  the  addition 
of  two  or  three  smaller  ones;  and,  while  this  gave  about 
thirty  able-bodied  men,  fairly  well  armed,  it  also  brought 
with  it  the  responsibility  of  caring  for  and  protecting  the 
lives  of  a  dozen  women  and  children,  whose  safety  de- 
manded the  very  best  we  were  able  to  give.  There  were 
five  or  six  large  wagons  containing  the  supplies,  and  two 
light  spring  wagons  which  served  as  ambulances  for  the 
accommodation  of  any  who  might  become  sick  or  in  any 
way  disabled.  Besides  the  working  teams,  there  were  a 
hundred  head  of  lead  and  saddle  horses,  all  of  great  value 
if  safely  landed  in  California,  and  these  must  be  watched 
and  guarded  by  day  and  night  at  whatever  cost.  What 
added  to  the  general  disquietude  and  increased  anxiety — 
feed  for  the  stock  and  our  own  provisions  as  well,  were 
running  low. 

The  outlook,  then,  was  not  a  flattering  one  as  we  passed 
out  to  the  westward  beyond  the  Great  Salt  Lake.  Ap- 
parently two  propositions  were  open  to  us,  one  of  which 
must  be  adopted  without  delay: — either  to  go  into  camp 
and  exhaust  our  supplies  while  awaiting  developments, 
and  eventually  turn  back  disappointed,  humiliated  and 
defeated,  or  to  go  forward  and  brave  the  dangers  of  which 
we  were  apprehensive. 

While  revolving  these  reflections  in  our  minds  the  Fourth 
of  July  came,  when  we  laid  up  for  a  day  to  deliberate  and 
to  celebrate.  It  is  difficult  to  conceive  of  a  situation  so 
grave  that  a  patriotic  American,  in  possession  of  all  his 
faculties,  would  fail  to  take  cognizance  in  some  way  of  the 
birthday  of  our  national  independence.  Not  having  a  copy 
of  the  Declaration  to  read,  patriotic  songs  were  substituted 
and  a  general  good  feeling  was  awakened  in  the  camp. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  33 

Ahead,  some  fifteen  miles  distant  and  within  plain  view, 
a  spur  of  mountains  lay  across  our  track,  which  could  only 
be  crossed  by  following  a  steep  canyon  to  its  summit,  where 
there  was  a  tableland  or  mesa  extending  some  little  dis- 
tance before  descending  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  range. 
As  we  had  been  informed,  a  band  of  renegade  Indians, 
bearing  the  suggestive  cognomen  of  the  "Goshoots,"  occu- 
pied the  mesa  and  held  this  pass  as  a  vantage  ground  for 
purposes  of  robbery  and  plunder.  The  Pony  had  already 
been  attacked  there,  as  was  known,  and  now  for  some 
reason  had  been  cut  off  entirely  for  over  two  weeks. 

At  a  council  held  that  afternoon,  at  which  time  the 
situation  was  fully  canvassed,  it  was  decided  to  go  on,  and 
every  possible  preparation  for  defense  was  made.  As  a 
means  of  safety  the  flour  and  bacon  in  the  big  wagons  was 
arranged  so  as  to  form  a  temporary  barricade,  inside  of 
which  the  women  and  children  were  lodged,  and,  having 
divided  the  fighting  forces  into  two  companies  of  fifteen 
men  each  and  chosen  leaders,  we  lay  quietly  down,  allow- 
ing the  fires  to  go  out  as  if  for  an  all  night's  rest.  The 
plan  was  to  pull  up  stakes  a  little  later,  and  by  a  forced 
march  reach  the  canyon  before  daylight,  and  pass  through, 
thus  outwitting  the  wily  savage  and  avoiding  an  attack  on 
his  chosen  ground. 

Signal  fires  were  burning  in  the  mountains  all  night, 
which  fact  we  regarded  as  an  evidence  that  our  movements 
were  being  watched.  In  accordance  with  the  plan  adopted 
we  pulled  out  about  10  o'clock,  and,  after  having  put  our 
teams  to  the  limit  of  endurance  through  the  night,  day- 
light came  on  and  found  us  still  out  on  the  open  plains 
about  three  miles  distant  from  the  canyon  and  in  full 
view  of  the  Indians,  should  any  be  awaiting  our  approach. 
That  they  were  so  in  waiting  will  soon  appear. 


34  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Fresh  tracks  of  Indian  ponies  in  great  numbers  leading 
toward  the  pass  could  be  seen  along  the  trail,  and  an 
attack  before  reaching  the  summit  seemed  inevitable.  All 
the  horrors  of  Indian  warfare  were  now  confronting  us 
like  living  pictures,  but  there  was  no  other  alternative — 
the  gauntlet  must  be  run. 

On  reaching  the  mouth  of  the  canyon  five  men  were 
advanced  as  skirmishers  on  either  flank,  the  balance 
remaining  at  intervals  on  each  side  of  the  train.  Not  a 
bird,  bee  or  insect  of  any  description  gave  forth  a  sound, 
no  word  was  spoken,  and  the  silence  that  prevailed  was 
oppressive  and  ominous.  The  sun  had  just  reached  the 
tops  of  the  bald  mountains  and  the  last  man  and  horse  of 
the  train  had  entered  the  canyon,  the  teams  and  wagons 
ahead  and  the  lead  horses  in  the  rear,  when  the  dread 
silence  was  broken  by  a  dozen  rifle  shots  ringing  out  upon 
the  still  morning  air,  accompanied  by  the  yells  of  fifty 
savages  secreted  under  the  low-lying  scrub  cedars  that 
grew  far  up  on  the  mountain  side.  Two  of  the  team 
horses  on  the  front  wagon  fell  dead  at  the  first  volley, 
thus  blocking  the  passage  of  the  train,  as  the  dead  animals 
had  to  be  lifted  out  of  the  way  and  two  lead  horses  brought 
up,  harnessed  and  hitched  in  their  places  before  a  wheel 
could  be  turned.  This  occupied  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes, 
during  which  time  the  yells  from  the  savages  and  their 
murderous  fire  was  kept  up.  All  the  wagons  were  peppered 
with  rifle  shots — and  among  them  some  arrows — which 
penetrated  the  covers,  but  lodged  in  the  flour  and  bacon 
and  other  heavy  material,  behind  which  lay  the  women  and 
children,  paralyzed  with  fear,  but  receiving  no  further 
injury.  The  delay  seemed  interminable,  but  finally  the 
teams  moved  on,  and  meantime  the  men,  with  rifles  in 
hand,  skirmished  up  the  sides  of  the  canyon,  driving  the 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  35 

Indians  back  so  that  their  shots  became  less  frequent  and 
less  effective. 

Throughout  the  entire  length  of  the  canyon  Indians 
were  in  sight  on  the  bald  mountains  above  and  out  of  range, 
and  by  signals  directed  the  movements  of  those  who  were 
doing  the  shooting  from  among  the  cedars  below.  As  soon 
as  the  summit  and  level  plain  was  reached  the  wagons  were 
corralled  and  preparations  were  made  for  a  siege,  but  the 
Indians  were  too  cowardly  to  come  within  range  of  our 
guns  at  this  time,  and,  after  a  few  parting  shots,  disap- 
peared, though  we  knew  not  at  what  moment  the  attack 
might  be  renewed.  It  was  the  vigorous  and  active  resist- 
ance made  by  our  sharpshooters  undoubtedly  that  saved 
the  train  from  eventual  capture  and  all  our  people  from 
massacre. 

In  the  progress  of  the  skirmish  it  was  impossible  to  tell 
by  the  report  of  a  gun  from  which  side  of  the  canyon 
a  shot  was  fired.  The  Indians  doing  the  shooting  were 
secreted  in  the  thick  tops  of  the  cedars,  so  that  the  smoke 
from  their  guns  could  not  readily  be  seen,  while  the  entire 
canyon  was  filled  with  the  echo  of  every  discharge.  In 
this  way  our  men  were  often  deceived  and  led  into  dan- 
gerous situations,  sometimes  narrowly  escaping  death.  A 
member  of  our  party,  Sam  Pitts  by  name,  a  country-raised 
young  fellow,  whose  number  eleven  brogans  had  often  been 
made  the  subject  of  good-natured  banter  around  the  camp- 
fire,  in  his  over-zealousness  to  get  a  "fair  cr*ack  at  an 
Injun,"  as  he  expressed  it,  exposed  himself  unnecessarily, 
and  while  standing  in  the  open  a  bullet  from  under  a  cedar 
bush  struck  the  dry  earth  between  his  feet.  "By  gosh!" 
exclaimed  Pitts,  falling  a  little  back  behind  a  bush,  "I 
believe  that  Injun  shot  at  my  feet !"  Whereupon  the 
"Injun,"  emboldened  by  this  retrograde  movement,  sud- 


36  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

denly  appeared  upon  a  jutting  rock,  and,  clapping  his 
heels  together  as  he  sprang  into  the  air,  emitted  a  series 
of  "whoops"  that  resounded  in  the  canyon  like  the  howling 
of  a  band  of  coyotes.  But  this  was  his  last  war  dance,  and 
had  the  effect  of  making  a  good  Indian  of  him,  for  while 
gyrating  as  above  described  he  was  struck  by  a  bullet  from 
•Pitts'  rifle  that  brought  him  tumbling  limp  and  lifeless 
upon  the  boulders  beneath.  Only  for  the  intervention  of 
his  comrades  Pitts  would  have  been  foolhardy  enough  to 
have  gone  for  the  Indian's  scalp  or  some  other  trophy. 

The  smoke  of  battle  having  cleared  away,  we  were 
enabled  to  count  noses  and  arrive  at  the  following  sum- 
mary: At  least  one  Indian  had  been  killed,  and  five  of 
our  horses,  while  two  others,  wounded  to  the  death,  fol- 
lowed to  the  summit  and  there  died.  It  was  pitiable  to 
see  the  wounded  horses  staggering  along,  apparently  dread- 
ing to  be  left  alone  to  die,  and,  after  falling  to  the  ground, 
lifting  their  heads  and  watching  the  train  till  it  passed 
out  of  sight,  as  if  in  mute  appeal  for  sympathy  and  aid. 

Fearing  now  to  travel  by  daylight,  we  renewed  the 
journey  after  nightfall,  keeping  out  a  strong  advance 
guard,  and  in  our  hearts  praying  for  some  intelligence 
from  the  Pony,  for  his  appearance  on  the  accustomed 
route  would  be  accepted  as  evidence  that  the  atmosphere  to 
the  westward  had  cleared  and  that  the  Indians  had  in  a 
measure  ceased  from  their  hostile  demonstrations.  The 
writer  remembers  that  night  in  the  advance  we  walked 
cautiously  in  the  middle  of  the  road,  keeping  eyes  and 
ears  open  for  any  unwelcome  visitor  or  sound,  for  how 
should  we  know  but  there  was  a  "lurking  devil"  behind 
every  rock  and  bush.  Signal  fires  as  before  were  seen 
in  the  distance,  and  an  attack  from  ambush  was  greatly 
feared. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  37 

Presently  the  click-i-ty-click,  click-i-ty-click  of  a  horse's 
hoofs  on  the  gallop  came  to  our  ears.  Sounds  in  the 
mountains  at  night  seem  to  travel  as  easily  and  almost  as 
far  as  the  sight  does  in  the  daytime,  and  this  might  be  an 
Indian  runner  sent  ahead  to  warn  his  henchmen  some- 
where on  the  trail  of  our  approach,  or  it  might  be  the 
Pony  rehabilitated  and  once  more  on  his  accustomed  route. 
As  the  hoof-beats  drew  near  we  divided  the  squad  and 
secreted  ourselves  on  opposite  sides  of  the  trail.  The  moon 
at  its  full  was  shining  brightly,  and  presently  a  man  on 
horseback  came  galloping  toward  us.  It  was  the  Pony 
from  Carson,  the  first  to  come  through  after  the  outbreak. 

We  hailed  him,  asking  the  news  from  the  West.  He 
had  come  through  a  hostile  country  from  Carson  City,  a 
distance  of  two  hundred  miles,  on  one  pony  and  alone. 
The  Indians,  he  said,  had  been  dispersed  by  the  volunteer 
miners,  and  the  route  for  the  time  being  was  clear.  The 
courageous  rider  had  made  the  extraordinary  trip  with  no 
covering  over  his  shoulders  but  a  flannel  shirt,  and  carrying 
no  equipment  but  a  six-shooter  and  a  chunk  of  dried  beef. 
But  he  knew  the  country  well ;  the  sinews  of  both  pony  and 
rider  were  of  steel,  and  when  rest  and  feed  became  a  neces- 
sity he  led  up  a  ravine  away  from  the  trail,  and,  letting 
the  pony  out  on  one  end  of  a  lariat,  tied  the  other  to  his 
wrist  and  lay  down  to  sleep,  while  the  pony  grazed  on  the 
bunchgrass  that  grew  in  abundance  along  the  mountain 
sides.  But  the  rider  had  been  entrusted  with  an  important 
mission,  the  execution  of  which  was  to  bring  into  play  the 
highest  order  of  physical  courage  and  a  deep  sense  of  the 
moral  obligation  he  had  assumed,  and  therefore  no  danger 
was  so  great  or  hardship  so  severe  as  to  cause  him  for  a 
moment  to  hesitate  or  turn  from  the  duty  assigned  him. 
Such  was  the  material  of  which  the  pony  and  the  Pony 


38  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

riders  were  made  that  carried  the  mail  and  dispatches 
across  the  desert  and  over  the  mountain  trails  to  the  far 
West  in  1860. 

Taking  courage  from  the  example  set  by  this  man  who 
had  braved  the  dangers  alone,  we  kept  on  our  course  to  the 
Sink  of  the  Carson,  where  the  writer  left  the  train  and 
proceeded  on  foot  to 

VIRGINIA  CITY. 

The  news  of  the  first  battle  of  Bull  Run  was  carried 
across  the  plains  from  St.  Joe,  Missouri,  to  Carson  City, 
Nevada,  a  distance  of  fourteen  hundred  miles,  by  means 
of  the  Pony  Express,  in  five  days  and  twenty-two  hours. 
The  interest  which  this  extraordinary  feat  must  at  any 
other  time  have  aroused  was  lost  sight  of  in  the  more 
startling  intelligence  which  the  Pony  carried  across  the 
continent  with  the  velocity  of  a  swift-moving  train. 

While  this  message  was  being  heralded  all  the  way  up 
the  grade,  from  Carson  to  Gold  Hill,  Silver  City  and 
Virginia  City,  two  young  men,  who  upon  a  brief  acquaint- 
ance had  become  friendly  and  intimate  (one  from  the 
Southern  States  and  the  other  from  the  North),  were 
sitting  together  at  the  base  of  Mount  Davidson  enjoying  a 
commanding  view  of  the  picturesque  camp  below  and  of 
the  plains  and  desert  beyond. 

Virginia  City  at  that  time  consisted  for  the  greater  part 
of  one  main  street,  on  either  side  of  which  was  a  row  of 
cabins  made  of  cloth  stretched  over  frames  of  rough  and 
unhewed  timbers,  with  now  and  then  a  more  pretentious 
building,  constructed  entirely  of  undressed  boards  set  up- 
right and  battened  to  keep  out  the  chilling  blasts  of  that 
mountain  region.  The  place  represented  in  its  general 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  39 

appearance  what  it  was  in  fact,  a  typical  mining  camp  of 
the  Wild  West  of  that  early  period.  Slight  evidences  of 
a  more  advanced  civilization  were  now  and  then  seen,  such 
as  a  burying  ground,  set  apart  though  not  fenced,  and, 
according  to  tradition,  its  only  occupants  up  to  that  time 
were  men  who  had  been  either  shot  or  stabbed  to  death. 

The  summer  of  1860,  the  period  from  which  this  writing 
is  taken,  the  group  of  mines  on  the  great  Comstock  Lode — 
the  Virginia,  the  Gould  and  Curry,  the  Ophir  and  the 
Savage  (mines  whose  fabulous  wealth  was  soon  to  astonish 
the  world) — were  little  more  than  prospects.  There  being 
as  yet  very  inadequate  means  in  the  country  for  reducing 
the  ore,  it  had  accumulated  on  the  dumps  in  large  quan- 
tities, and  the  writer  found  his  first  employment  after 
reaching  Virginia  City  assorting  and  shoveling  ore  into 
piles  on  the  dumps  according  to  grade,  receiving  $4.00  a 
day  as  compensation  for  his  labor;  and  later  sold  on  the 
streets  for  twenty-five  cents  each,  all  the  way  from  Vir- 
ginia to  Gold  Hill  and  Silver  City,  copies  of  the  first  issue 
of  the  Virginia  City  Enterprise. 

Every  pound  of  food  for  man  or  beast,  and  every  article 
of  utility,  including  machinery  for  stamp  and  sawmill 
purposes,  powder,  blankets  and  clothing,  had  all  to  be 
conveyed  from  California  on  the  backs  of  mules,  across 
the  Sierra  Xevada  Mountains,  over  rough  and  dangerous 
trails  on  which  the  lives  of  both  men  and  animals  were 
often  sacrificed.  A  heavy  pack,  striking  a  jutting  rock 
on  one  side  of  the  trail,  would  sometimes  throw  the  mule 
out  of  balance  down  into  the  canyon  on  the  opposite  side, 
hundreds  of  feet  below.  In  an  emergency  like  this  no 
attempt  even  was  made  to  recover  the  pack,  the  mule  being 
dead  beyond  the  shadow  of  a  doubt. 

Many  men  whose  names  have  since  become  famous  in 


40  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

mining  circles  and  in  the  development  of  the  West  walked 
the  streets  of  Virginia  at  that  time  in  gum  boots  and  clad 
in  the  plain  garb  of  the  every-day  miner.  Mackay,  Floyd, 
Fair  and  O'Brien  were  then  on  the  bottom  round  of  the 
financial  ladder  upon  which  they  afterward  ascended  like 
a  rocket,  outstripping  the  dreams  of  avarice. 

The  Territory  of  Nevada  was  just  being  formed  from  a 
part  of  Utah,  and  the  writer  had  the  privilege  of  listening 
to  the  inaugural  address  of  General  Nye,  of  New  York, 
the  first  Territorial  Governor,  delivered  at  Carson  City  in 
the  early  summer  of  1861.  Judge  Terry,  a  Southern 
leader  and  a  man  of  great  force  of  character,  having 
already  become  notorious  in  the  politics  of  California,  and 
as  the  slayer  of  Senator  Broderick  in  a  duel  fought  on 
political  grounds,  undertook  clandestinely  to  carry  the  new 
Territory  into  the  slave-holding  ranks,  but  his  scheme  was 
discovered  and  defeated  through  the  efforts  of  loyal  and 
patriotic  men,  and  Nevada  was  thus  saved  to  the  Union. 

In  the  literary  world  Mark  Twain,  Bret  Harte,  Joaquin 
Miller  and  others  drew  their  early  inspiration  from  the 
heights  of  the  Sierras  near  the  spot  and  amidst  the  scenes 
of  which  we  now  write. 

No  matter  how  well  or  peaceably  disposed  the  great  mass 
of  miners  and  prospectors  may  have  been  at  that  time, 
the  gambling  house  and  saloon  was  the  only  place  where 
they  could  assemble  evenings  during  their  leisure  hours  to 
exchange  gossip  concerning  the  latest  "discovery"  and  dis- 
cuss the  topics  of  the  day.  The  gambling  houses  were 
generally  made  of  cloth,  through  the  walls  of  which  a  pistol 
shot  would  pass  without  impediment  of  speed,  finding  its 
way  into  the  street  and  thus  endangering  the  life  and 
limb  of  the  innocent  bystander  or  passing  pedestrian.  So 
one's  protection  was  about  as  well  assured  within  the 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  41 

gambling  house  as  on  the  outside.  Twenty-dollar  gold 
pieces  were  the  chips  generally  used  in  the  numerous  games 
going  on  around  the  room,  and  when  fifteen  or  twenty 
tables  were  in  operation  at  one  time  the  clink  of  gold 
coin  at  the  tables  and  of  glasses  at  the  bar  could  be  heard 
above  the  din  of  voices  and  the  shuffle  of  feet.  Whenever 
a  shot  was  heard  on  the  streets  or  elsewhere  the  people 
paused  in  instant  dread,  for  no  one  discharged  a  gun  in 
Virginia  City  at  that  time  except  it  be  with  deadly  intent 
and  purpose. 

The  whole  side  of  the  mountain  and  plateau  surrounding 
the  city  was  honeycombed  with  prospect  holes  and  shafts 
ranging  from  ten  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  feet  in  depth. 
These  being  open  and  unguarded,  accidents  from  their 
exposed  positions  frequently  occurred.  A  peculiar  instance 
of  this  character  is  recalled.  An  old  habitue  of  the  saloon 
and  a  familiar  figure  on  the  street  had  been  three  days 
missing  from  his  accustomed  haunts.  A  search  being  made, 
his  hat  was  found  at  the  bottom  of  a  forty-foot  shaft.  Into 
this,  by  the  aid  of  a  windlass,  one  of  a  searching  party  was 
lowered,  but  further  than  the  hat  no  evidence  of  the  miss- 
ing man  was  anywhere  to  be  seen.  But,  prosecuting  the 
search  further,  the  sound  of  deep  and  labored  breathing 
was  heard.  Astonished  and  somewhat  alarmed  at  hearing 
strange  noises  so  far  beneath  the  ground,  where  no  trace 
of  any  living  thing  was  evident,  the  affair  began  to  take 
on  the  appearance  of  a  mystery  as  deep,  perhaps,  as  the 
shaft  itself.  Continuing  the  investigation,  however,  a  drift 
was  discovered,  at  the  farther  end  of  which  the  object  of 
the  search  was  found.  The  stifling  air  of  the  drift  was 
redolent  with  the  fumes  of  whisky,  and  an  empty  jug, 
hugged  close  to  the  side  of  the  prostrate  man,  in  mute 
eloquence  told  the  story  of  his  thraldom. 


42  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

It  appears  that  on  his  way  home,  after  a  round-up  of 
the  saloons,  he  had  lucklessly  fallen  into  the  shaft,  carrying 
with  him  to  the  bottom  a  jug  of  whisky,  his  sole  and  only 
solace  and  companion,  whether  lying  prone  in  his  lonely 
cabin  or  helpless  at  the  bottom  of  a  forty-foot  shaft.  Not 
having  been  killed  by  the  fall,  he  had  crawled  into  the 
drift,  and  there  managed  to  keep  up  his  spirits  until  the 
contents  of  the  jug  was  exhausted,  and  then  with  meek 
resignation  quietly  awaited  developments.  By  the  aid  of 
the  windlass  he  was  lifted  out  to  the  open  air,  and  after 
imbibing  a  couple  of  additional  drinks  which  were 
kindly  offered,  he  walked  unaided  to  his  cabin. 

Some  time  after  this  occurrence  a  man  on  horseback 
rode  into  a  shaft  two  hundred  feet  deep,  and  the  dead 
bodies  of  both  rider  and  horse  were  found  at  the  bottom 
some  weeks  thereafter. 

Probably  no  city  in  the  Union  founded  within  the  last 
half  century  has  contributed  so  much  in  actual  wealth  or 
furnished  such  interesting  data  to  be  woven  into  the  history 
of  that  stirring  period  as  Virginia  City,  Nevada.  Many 
of  the  men  who,  a  little  later,  expended  their  energies  and 
lavished  their  wealth  in  making  San  Francisco  and  Cali- 
fornia great  and  prosperous  drew  their  capital  from  the 
base  of  Mount  Davidson,  the  estimated  output  of  the  Corn- 
stock  Lode  amounting  to  the  fabulous  sum  of  $750,000,000. 

The  mirage  out  on  the  desert  had  been  unusually  attrac- 
tive and  brilliant,  and  the  two  young  men  introduced  at 
the  beginning  of  this  chapter  had  been  watching  this 
phenomenon  and  exchanging  views  upon  its  appearance  and 
the  impressions  it  had  made  upon  their  minds;  for  Vir- 
ginia City,  it  should  be  remembered,  was  favored  with  the 
most  wonderful  of  these  exhibitions  in  nature.  The 
decision  reached  was  that  a  battle  in  actual  progress  had 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  43 

been  represented.  As  remembered  now,  the  view  was  a 
fair  reproduction  of  the  moving  pictures  on  canvas,  as 
seen  at  the  present  day.  The  vision  was  realistic.  The 
smoke  of  battle  was  there;  "the  steed,  the  mustering 
squadron  and  the  clattering  car"  were  as  plainly  visible  as 
when,  a  few  days  earlier,  they  had  been  seen  and  heard 
on  the  plains  of  Manassas,  three  thousand  miles  away,  in 
the  first  great  conflict  of  the  Civil  War.  The  two  friends 
little  dreamed  at  the  time  that  war  between  the  States 
had  actually  begun. 

But  just  at  this  moment  both  young  men  were  startled 
by  the  cry  of  a  carrier  with  a  bundle  of  papers — an  extra 
of  the  Virginia  City  Enterprise — shouting  as  he  ran : 
"The  first  great  battle  of  the  Eebellion  fought  at  Bull 
Run,  Virginia !  Union  troops  defeated  and  in  retreat !" 

While  war  seemed  inevitable  and  a  collision  between  the 
opposing  forces  not  altogether  unlocked  for  (before  this 
we  had  had  no  direct  information  from  the  East  for  many 
weeks),  this  news  came  upon  the  writer  like  a  crushing 
blow,  and  by  it  a  feeling  of  patriotic  pride  was  aroused, 
and  a  sense  of  the  deep  obligation  every  citizen  is  under  to 
his  country  was  awakened ;  and  while  giving  audible  expres- 
sion to  these  sentiments  he  had  also  determined,  at  the 
first  opportunity,  to  take  up  the  gage  of  battle  in  the 
pending  struggle  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union. 

The  Southern  man  with  equal  promptness  expressed  a 
like  sentiment,  but  in  an  opposite  direction.  He  would 
return  to  his  home  in  Louisiana  and  there  enter  the  lists 
in  behalf  of  his  native  South.  These  opposing  views, 
though  warmly  expressed,  in  no  manner  changed  the 
friendly  and  amicable  relations  existing  between  the  two 
young  men. 

We  now  bid  farewell  to  the  West  of  ante  bellum  days,  to 


44  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

the  plains,  to  the  Pony  and  the  Pony  riders,  for  their 
memory  is  to  be  preserved  in  bronze  and  marble  and  with 
the  painter's  brush;  and,  trusting  these  have  all  proved 
worthy  of  the  space  awarded  them,  we  take  up  the  long 
journey  to  the  Atlantic  seaboard  and  the 


THEATEE  OF  WAE. 

From  Carson  westward  the  Sierras  rise  abruptly,  the 
California  stage  taking  a  zigzag  course  along  the  mountain 
side  a  distance  of  ten  or  twelve  miles  to  the  summit  or 
highest  point  reached  by  the  road. 

On  a  fine  morning  early  in  August  I  boarded  this  stage 
at  Carson — my  ultimate  destination  being  San  Francisco 
and  the  East,  by  way  of  Panama.  This  route  over  the 
Sierras  was  made  famous  by  Horace  Greeley  only  the  year 
before  in  the  account  given  by  him  of  the  wild  and  pre- 
cipitous stage  ride  he  took  down  the  western  slope  of  the 
Sierras  with  the  redoubtable  "Hank"  Monk  as  driver. 

The  ascent  from  Carson  to  the  summit  was  slow  and 
tedious  enough,  the  timber  and  dense  undergrowth  often 
shutting  out  the  view,  and  passengers,  getting  tired  of  the 
heavy  drag  up  the  grade,  often  left  their  seats,  and  by  a 
much  more  direct  route  over  a  trail  reached  the  summit 
and  the  intersection  of  the  road  ahead  of  the  stage.  Mr. 
Greeley,  it  seems,  not  aware  of  this  "cut-off,"  became  im- 
patient of  the  slow  progress  being  made,  and  so  complained 
to  the  driver,  whom  he  had  already  "tipped"  with  a  twenty- 
dollar  gold  piece — he  being  especially  anxious  to  reach 
Placerville  that  night,  where  he  had  an  engagement  to 
speak.  But  for  more  than  an  hour  the  six  magnificent  gray 
horses  attached  to  the  coach  (especially  selected  for  the 
trip)  moved  at  a  provokingly  moderate  jog,  seldom  faster 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  45 

than  a  walk.  Mr.  Greeley,  anxious  to  end  the  journey 
and  fearing  to  miss  his  appointment,  did  not  hesitate  to 
make  his  impatience  at  this  seeming  delay  audibly  mani- 
fest. He  was  assured,  however,  that  the  ground  would  be 
covered  in  due  time,  and  that  there  was  no  occasion  for 
worry.  But  this  assurance  did  not  seem  altogether  satisfy- 
ing, and  the  nervousness  of  the  distinguished  passenger 
increased  as  time  and  distance  wore  slowly  away. 

At  length  the  summit  was  reached,  and  here,  as  if  to  add 
fuel  to  the  flames,  a  halt  was  made  for  a  breathing  spell 
and  to  water  the  grays.  At  this  delay  Mr.  Greeley  is  said 
to  have  broken  forth  in  some  choice  expletives  that  have 
not  been  made  a  matter  of  record.  Finally,  at  the  cry 
of  "All  aboard!"  the  driver  sprang  into  the  box,  and, 
drawing  up  the  reins,  threw  the  "silken  braid"  swishing 
through  the  air,  emitting  loud  reports  like  the  fire  of 
musketry  on  the  skirmish  line.  In  response  to  this  the 
grays,  now  fresh  and  champing  the  bit,  sprang  off  down 
the  western  slope  of  the  Sierras  at  a  rate  of  speed  that 
soon  changed  Mr.  Greeley's  thoughts  from  his  late  appoint- 
ment into  new  and  altogether  different  channels. 

The  grade,  narrow  at  all  times,  in  places  had  been 
washed  away  by  recent  rains,  leaving  deep  gulches,  into 
which  the  stage  plunged  and  rebounded  like  a  rudderless 
bark  in  a  tempest-tossed  sea,  making  it  extremely  difficult 
for  a  passenger  to  remain  in  anything  like  a  dignified  or 
recumbent  position.  In  one  of  these  sudden  lurches  Mr. 
Greeley  was  thrown  from  a  seat  in  the  rear  to  the  front  of 
the  coach,  where  he  saved  himself  from  an  immediate 
retrograde  movement  by  clinging  frantically  to  a  strap. 

Forgetful  of  his  appointment,  and  now  thoroughly 
alarmed,  he  thrust  his  head  out  of  the  coach  and  shouted  to 
the  driver  to  exercise  great  caution  and  slacken  his  speed. 


46  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

But  Monk,  with  the  assurance  of  a  master  hand  and 
greatly  enjoying  the  discomfiture  of  his  "tenderfoot"  pas- 
senger, replied:  "Keep  your  seat,  Mr.  Greeley;  there  is 
no  occasion  for  alarm.  I  will  see  you  safely  landed  in 
Placerville  on  schedule  time/'  and  under  the  stimulus  of 
a  resounding  crack  of  the  whip  the  grays  forged  ahead 
with  renewed  energy.  Down  the  steep  and  narrow  passage, 
with  boulders  a  thousand  tons  in  weight  hanging  threat- 
eningly overhead  on  one  hand,  while  on  the  other,  around 
sharp  curves,  the  coach  ran  on  two  wheels  along  the  brink 
of  yawning  chasms  a  hundred  fathoms  deep.  To  use  the 
vernacular  of  the  period,  the  situation  soon  became  suffi- 
ciently alarming  to  "raise  the  hair  on  a  bald  head,"  espe- 
cially if  it  be  one  unaccustomed  to  mountain  roads  and 
the  mode  of  travel  peculiar  to  that  time  and  place.  Mr. 
Greeley,  alarmed  for  his  life,  and  hopeless  so  far  as  any 
abatement  of  speed  was  looked  for,  clung  grimly  to  the 
straps,  and  with  Christian  resignation  awaited  the  final 
overthrow  of  the  coach,  which  he  now  believed  would  be 
the  inevitable  outcome.  At  length,  however,  descending 
from  the  barren,  snow-clad  summit  of  the  Sierras  into  the 
timber  belt  below,  the  projecting  limbs  of  the  giant  cedars 
along  the  track  presented  a  fresh  source  of  alarm,  threaten- 
ing to  rake  off  the  entire  top  of  the  coach  as  it  swayed 
and  lurched  from  one  side  of  the  road  to  the  other  in  its 
headlong  downward  passage. 

With  smoking  nostrils  and  flaming  flanks,  the  grays 
are  suddenly  brought  to  a  stand  in.  front  of  a  relay  sta- 
tion, where  a  rapid  change  of  horses  is  made,  but  not  of 
drivers.  Casting  about  during  the  brief  respite  given  here, 
Mr.  Greeley  ascertained  the  fact  that  the  coach  had  dropped 
three  thousand  feet  in  coming  a  distance  of  twelve  miles, 
and  that  the  ground  had  been  covered  in  fifty-five  minutes. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  47 

The  remainder  of  the  journey  was  uneventful  until 
about  three  miles  out  the  stage  met  a  large  number  of 
citizens  in  carriages,  headed  by  the  Mayor,  who  had  come 
to  escort  Mr.  Greeley  into  Placerville,  but  Monk  had  given 
his  word  to  carry  the  distinguished  passenger  safely 
through  to  the  end  of  the  route,  and,  having  accepted  a 
valuable  tip  as  an  earnest  of  good  faith,  could  not  afford 
at  this  stage  of  the  proceedings  to  hazard  his  reputation; 
so,  completely  ignoring  the  delegation,  and  never  making 
a  halt,  he  drove  on  at  full  speed  clear  into  the  city. 

Like  Mr.  Greeley,  I  had  become  impatient  in  making 
this  ascent  and  took  the  "cut-off"  as  above  described. 
Among  my  fellow-passengers  was  a  man  who  had  been 
pointed  out  on  the  streets  of  Virginia  City  as  a  gambler 
and  desperado,  having  already,  though  not  of  middle  age, 
several  "notches"  cut  in  the  stock  of  his  revolver.  The 
trail  taken  led  through  dense  thickets,  in  places  entirely 
out  of  sight  and  hearing  of  the  stage  or  the  road,  and 
when  fairly  out  of  hailing  distance  from  all  others  who 
should  come  up  behind  me  on  the  trail  but  the  <fbad  man" 
from  Virginia  City.  He  was  armed  to  the  teeth,  and,  as 
it  appeared  to  me,  a  very  ugly  looking  fellow;  and  the 
fact  that  I  was  wearing  a  buckskin  shirt  that  contained 
about  $800  in  gold  coin,  carefully  sewed  up  in  rows,  did 
not  act  as  a  sedative  upon  my  nerves. 

We  were  entirely  alone — he  being  in  the  rear  where  we 
were  compelled  to  walk  by  file — and,  of  course,  it  occurred 
to  me  this  desperate  man  might  take  a  notion  to  demand 
'the  immediate  surrender  of  my  money,  or  to  arrive  at  it 
in  some  more  direct  manner.  We  worked  our  way  along 
up  the  trail,  very  little  being  said;  but  meantime  I  took 
furtive  glances  over  my  shoulder  to  see  if  any  prepara- 
tions for  carrying  out  such  a  purpose  were  openly  evident. 


48  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

The  route  was  difficult,  the  weather  warm,  and  the  per- 
spiration that  poured  off  my  back  and  ran  down  the  trail 
was  in  much  greater  volume  than  I  had  ever  experienced 
before. 

At  last,  reaching  a  broad  flat  rock  where  there  was  room 
for  two,  we  sat  down  and  a  conversation  ensued,  in  the 
progress  of  which  my  traveling  compatriot  volunteered  the 
information  that  he  owned  a  saloon  and  gambling  house 
in  Virginia  City  and  another  in  Placerville,  the  terminus 
of  the  stage  line.  But  before  moving  on  he  gave  me  a 
nervous  shock  of  an  altogether  different  character  by  ask- 
ing the  loan  of  ten  dollars.  Whether  this  was  a  pretext 
for  getting  me  to  expose  my  purse,  thereby  making  it  a 
little  more  easy  of  access,  I  could  not  tell;  but  remember- 
ing "the  Lord  loves  a  cheerful  giver/'  and  thus  making 
a  "virtue  of  a  necessity,"  I  handed  over  the  ten  dollars 
without  hesitation  and  with  as  much  "cheerfulness"  as  I 
could  command  under  the  circumstances.  Whether  the 
promptness  with  which  I  separated  from  my  coin  had  any 
effect  upon  the  consciousness  of  my  new-found  friend  must 
be  left  to  further  developments.  At  any  rate,  a  sensation 
of  relief  was  felt  when,  soon  after,  we  reached  the  junction 
of  the  road  and  there  met  the  stage. 

Before  reaching  our  destination  we  had  become  quite 
intimate,  he  sharing  with  me  on  the  way  the  greater  por- 
tion of  the  ten  dollars  borrowed  in  lunches,  cigars,  etc., 
etc.  On  disembarking  at  Placerville  I  was  not  altogether 
surprised  to  see  the  "bad  man"  greeted  on  every  hand 
and  hailed  as  a  good  fellow  by  every  one  he  met.  Aside 
from  returning  promptly  the  ten  dollars  borrowed,  he  did 
not  allow  me  to  spend  a  cent  for  any  purpose  while  I 
remained  in  the  city,  and  our  final  separation  the  next 
morning  was  one  of  apparent  regret  to  both. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  49 

Reaching  San  Francisco  by  boat  direct  from  Sacramento 
on  the  evening  of  August  6th,  a  cold  wind  with  a  fog 
sweeping  up  the  bay  (whereas  the  weather  in  Sacramento 
had  been  intensely  hot)  chilled  all  the  passengers  to  the 
marrow. 

San  Francisco,  with  a  population  of  about  50,000,  was 
then  just  entering  upon  the  period  of  its  greatest  pros- 
perity. Aside  from  the  rich  products  of  the  mines  of 
California,  the  wealth  that  soon  came  pouring  in  from 
the  Comstock  Lode  was  centered  here;  a  ceaseless  flood  of 
emigration  had  set  in  across  the  plains,  while  two  endless 
chains  of  white  sails — one  coming  and  one  going — choked 
up  the  passage  of  the  Golden  Gate,  filling  the  great  bay 
and  enriching  San  Francisco  with  the  commerce  of  the 
world. 

Taking  advantage  of  the  first  vessel  to  sail,  on  the  llth 
of  August  I  took  passage  for  Panama  on 

"THE  OLD  SONOKA." 

This  was  said  to  have  been  the  first  passenger  steam- 
ship to  reach  the  California  coast  by  the  way  of  Cape 
Horn.  It  was  a  surprise  to  me  and  a  pleasure  as  well  on 
going  aboard  to  find  Lanier,  my  Southern  friend  and 
former  associate  of  Virginia  City,  who  had  also  engaged 
a  passage  and  was  about  to  embark  on  the  journey  to  New 
Orleans  by  the  way  of  Panama ;  and,  though  our  objects  in 
life  were  so  widely  at  variance,  we  were  still  to  be  friends 
and  companions. 

Among  the  passengers,  men  largely  predominated,  mostly 
fortune-seekers  returning  to  the  States  after  having  braved 
the  dangers  and  hardships  of  the  plains  or  the  long  journey 
by  water  around  the  Horn,  and  buffeting  with  fortune  with 


50  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

varying  degrees  of  success  for  months  or  years  in  the  new 
Eldorado.  Out  of  the  seven  or  eight  hundred  passengers 
of  the  class  above  described,  a  very  limited  number  had 
"struck  it  rich"  and  amassed  a  competency  for  those  early 
times,  while  a  few,  like  myself,  had  saved  a  few  hundred 
dollars ;  the  great  mass,  however,  were  as  destitute  as  when 
they  reached  the  coast,  being  barely  able  to  pay  for  a 
return  passage  in  the  steerage.  But  rich  or  poor,  and 
disappointed  though  many  had  been,  all  were  happy  now  in 
anticipation  of  soon  reaching  home,  there  to  meet  the  loved 
ones  waiting  with  open  arms  to  receive  them. 

For  the  fifteen  days  en  route  for  Panama  the  weather 
was  delightful,  and  the  fact  that  Confederate  cruisers  were 
already  sweeping  both  oceans  kept  up  a  lively  interest 
among  the  passengers,  alert  in  anticipation  of  some  adven- 
ture of  a  warlike  character.  On  a  long  voyage  at  sea,  to 
watch  for  passing  sails  becomes  an  all-engrossing  pastime 
under  the  most  ordinary  conditions,  but  with  the  Sonora's 
passengers  every  species  of  craft  seen  in  the  distance  took 
on  an  added  significance  and  aroused  the  curiosity  of  all 
on  board. 

In  the  bow  of  our  steamer  was  a  very  large  gun,  and, 
although  rusty  and  unserviceable  for  any  belligerent  pur- 
pose, to  the  unpracticed  eye  it  looked  formidable  enough. 
Besides,  we  had  with  us,  as  freight  en  route  for  the  East, 
a  large  supply  of  muskets  and  ammunition  that  had  been 
brought  to  the  Pacific  Coast  to  meet  the  emergency  of  the 
war  threatened  at  Salt  Lake.  As  an  escort  for  all  this 
Government  property — and  what  also  afforded  a  good  deal 
of  satisfaction,  in  case  of  being  overhauled  by  a  Confed- 
erate cruiser — there  was  on  board  a  small  company  of 
United  States  soldiers.  Being  thus  equipped,  it  was 
believed  in  our  innocent  hearts  we  would  be  able  to  man 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  51 

the  big  gun,  and,  with  a  loaded  musket  in  the  hands  of 
every  warlike  passenger,  the  Sonora  could  successfully 
resist  any  force  the  enemy  could  send  against  her. 

We  had  already  had  several  little  scares,  and  the  interest 
in  imaginary  privateers  continued  unabated  until  one  fine 
morning  when  off  Acapulco  a  sail  on  our  port  bow  was 
sighted  by  the  lookout.  She  was  square  rigged  forward, 
"rakish"  looking,  and  upon  closer  inspection  the  fact  soon 
became  apparent  that  "she"  was  a  man-of-war.  Our  offi- 
cers, if  they  in  any  way  recognized  the  stranger,  were 
non-committal,  and  the  excitement  on  board  the  Sonora, 
already  great,  reached  a  climax  when  a  little  later  a  thick 
cloud  of  smoke  burst  from  the  side  of  the  strange  ship,  to 
be  followed  almost  instantly  by  the  report  of  a  gun  that 
came  booming  across  the  intervening  water,  a  distance  of 
a  mile  or  more. 

Among  the  lady  passengers,  now  huddled  together  in 
little  groups  on  both  decks,  "there  was  whispering  with 
white  lips,  'The  foe,  they  come,  they  come !' >:  For  my 
own  part  I  calmly  awaited  developments  with  as  much 
composure  as  possible. 

Our  big  gun,  which  up  to  this  time  had  lain  on  the  main 
deck  like  a  sleeping  lion,  after  being  loaded  with  a  blank 
charge  of  powder,  was  run  out,  and  belched  forth  an  answer 
to  the  challenge  just  received ;  and  at  the  same  instant  the 
stars  and  stripes  were  displayed  from  the  masthead  of  the 
Sonora.  Whereupon  the  stranger,  first  letting  go  her 
sheets,  hove  to,  and  in  turn  ran  up  the  national  colors.  It 
proved  to  be  an  American  frigate  carrying  six  guns  on  a 
side  and  about  three  hundred  sailors  and  marines,  at  that 
time  cruising  off  the  coast  of  Mexico  and  Central  America. 
They  were  short  of  provisions  and  had  hailed  for  the  pur- 
pose of  procuring  an  additional  supply. 


52  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Yielding  to  this  request,  the  Sonora  stood  by  until  the 
required  necessaries  had  been  transferred  to  the  deck  of 
the  frigate.  This  was  done  by  means  of  a  lighter  or  small 
open  boat,  and  occupied  not  more  than  an  hour's  time,  at 
the  end  of  which  both  vessels  proceeded  on  their  course. 
When  about  a  mile  apart  the  masts  and  spars  of  the  frigate 
were  seen  to  be  filled  with  sailors,  looking,  at  that  distance, 
like  a  swarm  of  ants  running  up  the  rigging.  They  were 
barely  visible,  and  as  they  swung  caps  in  the  air  there  came 
to  our  ears  in  a  faint  murmur  the  regulation  three  cheers — 
"Hurrah !  hurrah !  hurrah  I" 

A  sensation  of  relief  was  felt  among  the  passengers 
generally  at  the  outcome  of  this  little  episode,  but  there 
was  one  down  deep  in  whose  heart  a  hope  had  found  lodg- 
ment from  the  first  that  the  strange  ship,  with  her  grinning 
broadsides,  would  prove  to  be  a  Confederate  cruiser.  That 
one  was  my  friend  and  companion,  and  the  only  Southerner 
on  board  with  whom  I  became  acquainted. 

Of  course,  in  our  intimacy  the  causes  leading  up  to  the 
rebellion  were  never  discussed,  and  neither  was  in  the 
habit  of  boasting  of  his  ability  to  whip,  single-handed  and 
alone,  five  of  the  other  fellows;  but  the  warm  friendship 
that  sprang  up  between  us  has  always  appealed  to  me 
as  the  best  reason  why  the  two  sections  should  never  have 
gone  to  war.  For  were  we  not  of  the  same  race  and  blood, 
trained  in  the  same  chivalric  school  and  imbued  with  the 
same  spirit  of  liberty,  justice  and  humanity;  in  short,  a 
people  of  a  common  destiny  to  be  worked  out  under  one 
flag  and  one  constitution?  The  capture  of  the  Sonora 
and  the  confiscation  of  her  cargo  by  a  Confederate  cruiser 
would  have  given  my  friend  an  opportunity  to  embark  at 
once  in  a  cause  already  dear  to  his  heart,  and  which,  from 
his  standpoint,  was  as  patriotic  and  just  as  that  which 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  53 

impelled  me  to  travel  six  thousand  miles  for  an  oppor- 
tunity to  join  the  lists  in  defense  of  the  Union  and  the 
flag. 

The  aspirations  that  moved  the  one  no  doubt  were  iden- 
tical with  the  spirit  that  animated  the  breast  of  the  other, 
but  at  the  same  time  one  must  have  been  right  and  the 
other  wrong,  and  friends  and  brothers  though  we  were,  the 
differences  between  the  sections  could  only  be  adjusted 
through  the  arbitrament  of  the  sword. 

A  burial  at  sea  is  looked  upon  with  superstitious  dread 
by  sailors  generally,  and  the  most  indifferent  observer  can 
but  be  more  or  less  affected  by  that  most  melancholy  of 
ceremonies ;  but  when  a  young  man  or  boy,  among  strangers 
thousands  of  miles  from  home,  sees  the  remains  of  an  only 
friend  and  companion  of  a  long  voyage  weighted  with  old 
iron  and  sunk  out  of  sight  into  the  dark  waters,  the  impres- 
sion made  is  likely  to  be  a  lasting  one.  The  thousands 
that  go  down  annually,  victims  of  old  ocean's  maw,  are  the 
evidences  of  her  infinite  capacity  to  engulf  and  destroy; 
and  what  other  means  are  there  by  which  the  remains  of 
mortal  man  can  be  so  effectually  disposed  of  and  blotted 
from  earth  and  from  memory  as  through  consignment  to 
the  fathomless  deep. 

Being  steerage  passengers,  the  meat  on  which  we  fed 
was  not  of  that  savory  and  vitalizing  kind  that  was  thought 
to  have  contributed  so  much  to  the  greatness  of  Julius 
Caesar,  and  a  slight  indisposition  of  which  Lanier  occa- 
sionally complained  was  believed  to  be  nothing  more  than 
a  temporary  indigestion.  Cheerful  and  buoyant  as  he  was 
at  all  times,  I  little  dreamed  my  friend  was  so  soon  to  be 
stricken  with  a  fatal  malady.  But  one  evening  about  9 
o'clock,  while  walking  the  main  deck  in  the  full  enjoyment 
of  a  semi-tropical  night,  he  was  seized  with  a  vertigo  and 


54  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

came  near  falling  to  the  deck.  Eunning  to  his  side,  I 
assisted  him  to  a  seat,  and  at  once  sought  the  ship's  sur- 
geon. There  was  some  delay,  however,  as  that  functionary 
had  already  retired  for  the  night,  and  when  aroused  he 
seemed  indignant  there  should  be  any  intimation  that 
haste  was  necessary.  But  what  added  most  to  my  surprise 
was  to  find  in  the  ship's  surgeon  a  boyish-looking  fellow 
whom  I  recognized  at  once  as  a  former  school  friend  from 
Michigan — Dr.  Sam.  Whittemore.  The  incident  going  to 
show,  even  in  that  period  of  inadequate  means  of  rapid 
communication,  that  the  world  was  not  very  large. 

At  last  we  reached  the  place  where  I  had  left  my  friend 
but  a  few  minutes  before,  and  found  him  lying  apparently 
lifeless  on  the  deck.  A  few  rough  sailors  with  blanched 
faces  were  standing  near,  and  a  hasty  examination  by  the 
physician,  aided  by  the  dim  light  of  a  lantern,  soon 'dis- 
closed the  fact  that  Lanier  had  already  passed  to  that 
bourn  beyond  the  reach  of  war's  loud  alarms.  What  mat- 
tered the  cause  of  the  Confederacy  to  him  now ;  where  was 
the  spirit  that  animated  his  breast  but  a  few  moments 
before;  and  was  this  to  be  the  fate  of  his  beloved  South? 
These  and  a  thousand  thoughts  passed  quickly  in  review. 
But  there  was  little  time  given  for  reflection  here.  With- 
out an  autopsy  or  any  investigation  as  to  the  cause  of 
death,  further  than  the  oral  statement  made  by  the  sur- 
geon, the  corpse  was  sewed  up  in  coarse  gunny  cloth, 
lashed  to  a  plank  (having  heavy  weights  attached  to  the 
feet),  and  there  left  for  the  remainder  of  the  night,  the 
mate  announcing  at  the  same  time  that  final  disposition  of 
the  body  would  be  made  at  sunrise. 

At  that  early  hour  a  few  sailors  and  passengers  of  the 
steerage  had  assembled,  and  just  as  the  sun,  like  a  blaze 
of  fire,  rose  out  of  the  water  to  light  up  the  melancholy 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  55 

scene,  the  ship's  machinery  was  stopped  and  the  ponderous 
"walking-beams"  lay  idle.  By  order  of  the  first  officer 
the  body  was  carried  out  and  laid  on  the  wheel  house,  with 
feet  toward  the  stern  of  the  ship,  when  the  mate,  with 
bared  head  and  in  a  subdued  voice,  read  a  short  prayer 
and  a  verse  from  the  Bible,  closing,  not  with  "Earth  to 
earth  and  dust  to  dust/'  but  with  that  other  passage  hold- 
ing out  a  hope  for  the  time  to  come,  when  "the  sea  shall 
give  up  the  dead  which  are  in  it."  This  ceremony  ended, 
a  sailor  lifted  the  head  of  the  plank,  and  sliding  over  feet 
foremost,  the  corpse  disappeared;  and, 

"For  a  moment  like  a  drop  of  rain 
Sank  into  the  depths  with  bubbling  groan, 
Without  a  grave,  unknelled,  uncoffined  and  unknown." 

The  great  walking-beams  were  again  in  motion,  the 
wheels  began  to  turn,  churning  the  dark  waters  into  an 
angry  foam;  the  ship  moved  on,  and  the  sailors,  with  a 
"heave  ho,  hio,"  returned  to  their  accustomed  tasks. 

Many  times  it  occurred  to  me  after  Lanier's  death,  and 
during  the  four  years  of  bloody  war  that  followed,  how 
easy  it  would  have  been  at  the  beginning,  had  the  people 
of  the  North  and  South  known  each  other  as  he  and  I,  to 
have  settled  their  differences. 

At  Acapulco  we  anchored  for  a  day  beside  two  foreign 
ships  of  war  and  one  American.  Of  the  many  harbors  it 
has  been  the  good  fortune  of  the  writer  to  visit,  that  of 
Acapulco  seems  to  be  the  most  complete.  Beginning  with 
a  narrow  entrance  of  ample  depth,  the  harbor,  shaped 
like  a  bowl,  with  no  jutting  rocks  or  promontories  to  inter- 
fere or  mar  its  symmetry,  is  surrounded  by  high  walls, 
making  it  a  place  of  delight  to  look  upon,  and  safe  retreat 
for  vessels  of  every  class. 


56  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

The  city  lies  in  amphitheater  shape;  the  streets  in  ter- 
races rise  one  above  another  in  semi-circles  to  a  height  of 
several  hundred  feet.  A  sleepy  Mexican  town  in  those  days, 
to  be  sure,  but  a  situation  of  great  natural  beauty,  with  a 
climate  unsurpassed. 

The  passengers  were  entertained  here  with  swimming 
exhibitions  by  natives,  who  take  to  the  water  and  live  in 
it  as  naturally  as  a  duck.  The  waters  are  transparent  to 
a  great  depth,  and  coins  or  other  valuables  thrown  in  can 
be  seen  descending  in  a  zigzag  course  till  the  bottom  is 
reached.  But  these  trophies,  when  thrown  in,  were  in- 
variably recovered  and  brought  out  by  the  native  divers, 
who  swarmed  after  them  like  a  shoal  of  minnows  after  a 
luckless  fly  that  accidentally  strikes  the  smooth  surface  of 
the  water. 

An  exhibition  of  another  character  was  afforded  here 
that  proved  more  exciting  than  any  other  incident  of  the 
voyage,  save  only  that  of  the  Confederate  cruiser  that 
proved  to  be  an  American  man-of-war.  A  number  of 
beeves  were  taken  on  board  alive  to  be  slaughtered  as  the 
appetites  of  the  seven  or  eight  hundred  passengers  seemed 
to  demand.  They  were  of  the  lean,  long-horned  and 
hungry  sort  common  to  Mexico,  and  pretty  active  on  foot. 
Three  or  four  of  this  kind  were  "trolled"  out  to  the  ship, 
where,  by  means  of  a  tackle  and  pulley  attached  to  the 
horns,  they  were  drawn  up  bodily,  a  distance  of  twenty  or 
thirty  feet,  to  the  main  deck,  and  there  secured  in  stalls. 
The  operation  altogether,  though  novel,  was  a  gruesome 
one.  The  weight  of  the  animal  suspended  by  the  horns 
caused  the  eyes  to  sink  in  their  sockets  out  of  sight,  and 
on  being  restored  to  their  feet  they  seemed  blinded  and 
stupefied,  generally  having  to  be  forced  into  their  stanch- 
ions. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  57 

While  suspended  in  mid-air  their  limbs  were  limp  and 
motionless;  but  one  fellow  rebelled  and  struggled  to  free 
himself,  and  when  at  last  he  reached  his  feet  again  and 
the  pulley  was  thrown  off,  he  shook  his  head,  snorting 
viciously  a  couple  of  times,  and  then  started  off  across  the 
deck  with  a  mad  rush.  A  good  many  passengers  had  gath- 
ered around,  and  right  into  their  midst  the  bull  plunged, 
throwing  his  horns  to  the  right  and  left,  without  regard 
for  the  social  status  of  any — whether  those  from  the  cabin, 
who  were  entitled  to  the  first  cut  off  the  loin,  or  those  of 
the  steerage,  who  were  glad  enough  to  get  steaks  off  the 
shoulder  and  neck. 

The  panic  caused  by  this  movement  was  universal 
throughout  the  main  deck.  Passengers,  the  ship's  officers 
and  sailors  alike,  climbed  upon  the  bulwarks  and  out  on 
the  yardarms  to  escape  the  infuriated  beast.  Having 
demolished  the  chicken  coop,  the  bull  at  last  landed  in 
the  hog  pen,  where  he  was  roped  and  "hauled  taut"  by 
the  sailors,  who  secured  him  with  a  "half  hitch"  between 
the  stanchions. 

At  Panama  were  found  three  more  ships  with  grinning 
broadsides,  one  English,  one  French  and  one  Spanish. 
The  presence  of  these  ships  hovering  near  our  shores  had 
to  me  even  then  an  ominous  significance,  and,  though 
young,  I  believed  the  great  powers  had  sent  them  to  keep 
watch  along  our  borders  like  birds  of  prey,  ready  to  gather 
up  the  dismembered  fragments  when  the  final  dissolution 
of  the  Union  should  come.  Indeed,  the  progress  of  the 
war  soon  disclosed  the  fact  that  every  civilized  Government 
of  Europe  and  the  Old  World  was  against  us,  save  only 
one. 

But  one  ruler  sent  his  ships  to  our  shores  in  those 
darkest  days  of  our  national  existence  with  a  friendly  and 


58  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

sympathetic  message,  and  that  was  the  Great  White  Czar, 
Alexander  II  of  Eussia.  In  those  days,  at  least,  in  any- 
thing like  an  international  imbroglio  Eussia  was  a  power 
that  must  be  reckoned  with ;  and  the  sending  by  that  Gov- 
ernment of  two  powerful  fleets  of  battleships,  one  to  San 
Francisco  and  one  to  New  York,  under  sealed  orders,  waa 
interpreted  by  France  and  England  to  mean  just  this: 
"Keep  hands  off  in  the  contest  now  going  on  in  the  United 
States  for  the  supremacy  of  the  Union,  for  the  day  that 
you  officially  recognize  the  so-called  Southern  Confederacy 
as  an  independent  belligerent  power,  that  day  Eussia's 
ships  of  war  will  be  placed  at  the  disposal  of  the  American 
Government/' 

That  any  man  who  periled  his  life  in  defense  of  his 
country  in  that  great  struggle  should,  at  a  later  period, 
turn  his  sympathy  away  from  and  his  hand  against  Eussia 
in  the  dark  hour  of  her  adversity  cannot  well  be  regarded 
in  any  other  light  than  that  of  the  grossest  ingratitude, 
no  matter  what  may  have  been  Eussia's  faults  in  the 
government  of  her  own  people  or  her  attitude  toward 
neighboring  powers. 

Ships  of  the  larger  class  on  reaching  Panama  are 
obliged,  on  account  of  shallow  water,  to  anchor  a  distance 
of  three  miles  out,  near  the  Island  of  Pireco.  A  ship 
larger  than  eighty  tons  burden  cannot  get  closer  to  the 
landing  than  two  miles  out.  From  this  point  passengers 
are  conveyed  in  small,  open  boats  until  more  shallow 
water  is  reached,  and  thence  on  the  backs  of  half-clad 
natives  to  the  landing. 

Panama  was  strongly  fortified  and  a  large  cathedral 
erected  as  early  as  1760;  but  these,  like  every  other  mark 
of  Spain's  early  enterprises  in  the  Western  Hemisphere, 
have  gone  to  decay.  Entering  the  streets  of  Panama,  a 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  59 

noticeable  feature  at  that  time  was  the  native  soldier  or 
gendarme  serving  as  police,  barefooted  and  coatless,  loung- 
ing on  dry  goods  boxes,  with  guns  leaning  up  against  the 
nearest  wall.  A  travesty  on  the  name  of  "soldier/*  Com- 
pared with  this  fellow,  the  "hay-foot,  straw-foot"  recruit 
of  our  Civil  War  was  a  paragon. 

A  delay  of  twelve  hours  in  Panama  and  we  cross  the 
Isthmus  to  Aspinwall  (now  Colon),  and  there  remain  three 
days,  awaiting  reshipment  of  Government  arms  and  other 
freight  included  in  our  lists  before  taking  passage  for 
New  York.  Many  of  the  houses  in  Aspinwall  are  provided 
with  commodious  balconies,  in  which  the  inhabitants  live 
and  sleep  a  great  portion  of  the  time. 

On  being  escorted  to  my  room  at  a  hotel  by  a  young 
boy  carrying  a  candle,  I  found  a  large  bed  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  pattern  covered  with  a  canopy  and  enclosed 
on  all  sides  with  a  heavy  mosquito  netting,  a  single  sheet 
of  linen  constituting  the  only  covering.  The  boy,  after 
opening  the  bed,  lifted  the  pillows  and  looked  along  the 
wall  as  if  in  search  of  some  object  of  special  concern. 
This  suggesting  the  possibility  of  the  bed  being  already 
occupied  by  "natives"  that  are  so  often  encountered  in 
more  civilized  communities  and  in  all  climates,  I  inno- 
cently asked  if  he  was  looking  for  "bugs"  of  any  kind. 
"No,"  he  said,  "no  buggy — scorpion !"  Learning  that  he 
was  only  looking  for  scorpions,  I  retired  for  the  night, 
but  not  to  sleep  very  soundly,  for  often  during  the  lonely 
hours  before  the  blessed  dawn  came  to  my  relief  I  arose 
to  renew  the  search  for  scorpions. 


60  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Taking  passage  on  the  steamship 

THE  NORTHERN  LIGHT, 

Captain  Tinklepau,  master,  we  passed  through  the  Carib- 
bean Sea  and  within  sight  of  a  number  of  the  West  Indies 
Islands,  the  nervous  anxiety  felt  by  all  on  account  of  pos- 
sible interference  by  Confederate  privateers  was  never 
abated. 

While  on  the  Isthmus  many  of  the  steerage  passengers 
had  secured  parrots,  monkeys  and  other  birds  and  animals 
to  take  to  their  homes  for  household  pets.  These  were 
kept  in  cages  down  on  the  main  deck,  where  every  morning 
there  was  to  be  seen  quite  a  menagerie  of  these  interesting 
little  natural  specimens  of  the  tropics.  Outside  the  ship 
and  just  forward  of  the  wheelhouse  was  a  large  washstand 
securely  railed  in,  where  the  passengers,  many  of  them 
foreigners,  performed  their  ablutions  and  gave  their  pets  a 
bath.  The  cabin  passengers  were  in  the  habit  of  gathering 
around  to  witness  this  curious  exhibition,  and  one  morn- 
ing in  rough  weather,  when  the  sea  was  running  high,  a 
passenger  who  had  a  large  cage  containing  several  birds  of 
brilliant  and  variegated  plumage,  having  risen  quite  late, 
came  on  deck  with  matted  hair  and  only  partly  dressed, 
and,  without  taking  an  observation  of  the  weather,  seized 
his  cage  of  birds  and  rushed  out  to  the  washstand  to  give 
his  pets  a  bath.  But  just  at  this  moment  a  tremendous 
sea  rolled  in,  breaking  in  front  of  the  wheelhouse,  and  in 
a  resistless  torrent  swept  clear  over  the  deck.  The  unlucky 
passenger  seized  the  railing,  and  with  great  difficulty  held 
on,  but  the  cage,  with  its  burden  of  pets,  was  carried  off 
on  the  crest  of  the  wave  and  soon  sank  out  of  sight.  The 
man,  fortunate  in  not  being  carried  away  with  his  birds, 
with  a  look  of  deep  disappointment,  and  gesticulating  in 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  61 

the  direction  the  birds  had  gone,  called  out:  "Zee  leetle 
bird  he  go  to  be  ze  sailor,  I  d'know,  or  he  mak  ze  leetle 
fish  his  break/' 

When  off  Cape  Hatteras  we  encountered  a  violent  storm 
that  raged  for  a  day  and  a  night,  threatening  to  engulf 
the  ship  and  send  her  to  the  bottom;  and  in  the  midst  of 
this  my  reflections  were  not  so  much  of  the  dangers  con- 
fronting us  as  upon  the  loss  of  a  dear  brother  who,  only 
two  years  before,  went  down  in  these  same  waters,  never 
to  rise  again. 

The  anxiety  felt  by  returning  passengers  a  long  time 
absent  in  a  foreign  land,  to  leave  the  ship  that  has  carried 
them  safely  over,  and  once  more  set  foot  on  native  soil, 
has  been  the  experience  of  many;  but  to  one  whose  coun- 
try is  in  the  throes  of  a  bloody  war,  the  outcome  of  which 
must  of  necessity  be  a  matter  of  conjecture,  anxiety  be- 
comes a  burden  and  the  feeling  one  that  is  difficult  to 
describe.  This  was  the  experience  of  many  passengers  on 
board  the  Northern  Light  as  she  neared  New  York  harbor 
the  middle  of  September,  1861. 

It  seemed  that  the  delays  of  quarantine  and  custom- 
house inspection  would  never  end,  and  on  going  ashore  at 
last,  an  atmosphere  as  of  some  pending  calamity  seemed 
to  prevail.  The  body  of  General  Lyon,  who  was  killed  at 
the  battle  of  Wilson's  Creek  the  10th  of  August,  one  of 
the  first  officers  of  distinguished  rank  to  fall  in  defense  of 
the  Union,  had  just  arrived,  and  preparations  were  being 
made  for  burial  with  civic  and  military  honors.  Flags 
were  at  half-mast,  public  buildings  draped  in  mourning, 
and  through  the  rush  and  turmoil  of  a  great  city,  a  gene- 
ral feeling  of  depression  was  manifested. 

It  seems  that  at  almost  every  turn  of  the  long  journey 
from  Virginia  City,  Nevada,  to  New  York  by  the  way  of 


62  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

San  Francisco,  Panama  and  Aspinwall,  circumstances  had 
combined  to  fasten  attention  upon  the  distressing  condi- 
tion into  which  the  country  had  fallen  and  to  increase 
patriotic  ardor.  It  is  frankly  admitted  that  up  to  this  time 
the  spirit  of  adventure  had  entered  largely  into  the 
motives  that  impelled  me  to  undertake  other  enterprises, 
but  a  higher  sense  of  duty  was  fast  setting  in,  and  I  re- 
solved, after  making  a  brief  visit  to  my  mother  and 
friends,  to  venture  at  once  upon  the  uncertain  sea  of  war. 

But,  as  in  case  of  many  others  moved  by  a  like  impulse, 
my  mother  was  a  widow,  and  owing  to  her  influence  and 
other  ties,  I  was  induced  to  remain  at  home;  and,  to  meet 
necessities,  as  on  a  former  occasion,  engaged  in  the  more 
prosaic  and  peaceful  occupation  of  teacher  of  a  public 
school.  This  was  a  great  falling  off  from  the  height  of  my 
original  ambition,  but  the  opportunity  was  improved  and 
my  desires  satisfied  for  the  time  by  the  introduction  of, 
and  repeating  in  tableau  form  for  public  exhibition,  many 
of  the  events  then  transpiring  at  the  front;  such  as,  "The 
Assassination  of  Elsworth,  the  Confederate  Spy,"  and 
other  scenes  calculated  to  increase  patriotic  ardor  and 
arouse  the  war  spirit.  Representations  of  this  character 
required  the  donning  of  uniforms  and  the  presentation  on 
the  stage  of  old  muskets  and  rusty  sabers,  the  heirlooms 
of  a  century  gone  by;  and  this  mimic  warfare,  so  popular 
at  the  time,  seemed  a  fitting  prelude  to  the  real  drama  in 
which  so  many  were  to  act  a  part  later  on. 

It  is  no  disparagement  to  any  other  class  of  enlistments 
to  say  in  this  connection  that  sixty-five  per  cent,  of  the 
2,500,000  men  who  took  up  arms  in  defense  of  the  Union 
were  country  and  village  raised  boys,  not  yet  out  of  their 
"teens;"  and  it  was  in  this  class  that  the  calamities  of  the 
war  struck  home  with  the  greatest  force. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  63 

On  the  arrival  of  each  daily  mail  at  the  country  village 
there  were  gatherings  of  the  people  at  the  corner  store, 
which  was  also  the  post  office,  to  hear  the  news  from  the 
front,  and  to  read  or  listen  to  the  reading  of  such  letters 
as  may  have  been  received  from  the  soldier  hoys.  Not 
many  were  able  to  subscribe  for  a  daily  paper;  in  fact,  but 
few  were  printed  in  those  days,  and  generally  not  more 
than  one  in  a  village  or  country  precinct.  The  fortunate 
possessor  of  this,  however,  generous  and  public-spirited, 
would  read,  for  the  benefit  of  all,  the  details  of  the  latest 
battle;  or,  from  the  number  assembled,  a  reader  would  be 
called  for  that  purpose,  and  often  the  teacher  or  the  vil- 
lage pastor  responded,  in  these  gatherings  women  with 
pale  and  anxious  faces  predominated;  and  not  infre- 
quently a  shrill  cry  or  wail  breaking  in  upon  the  attentive 
listeners  told  the  oft-repeated  story  that  hope  had  sud- 
denly gone  out  of  some  poor  mother's  heart,  as  she  heard 
the  name  of  her  boy  read  out  in  the  long  list  of  the  killed 
and  wounded. 

For  four  long  years  the  nation  mourned  and  the  burden 
of  sorrow  increased,  while  billions  of  treasure  were  poured 
out  and,  meantime,  500,000  of  the  best  young  blood  of  the 
land  went  down  to  a  glorious  death. 

In  this  struggle  my  mother  had  little  to  offer  save  only 
a  loyal  heart  and  her  boys,  and  before  the  war  ended 

SIX  OF  US  3NLISTED. 

Aside  from  my  own  brother,  four  cousins  who  were  left 
orphans  some  years  before  the  breaking  out  of  hostilities, 
having  to  look  to  my  mother  as  their  guardian,  became 
members  of  the  family,  and  the  six  grew  up  as  brothers, 
and  all  went  into  the  army.  All  but  one  enlisted  in  the 


64  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

ranks;  the  eldest  at  the  age  of  thirty,  and  the  youngest 
at  thirteen. 

Before  peace  was  declared  four  of  them  became  com- 
missioned officers,  as  follows: 

Captain  John  H.  Wells,  25th  Mich.  Infantry. 

Captain  Chas.  H,  Wells,  38th  111.  Infantry. 

Captain  Almond  B.  Wells,  1st  Nev.  Cavalry. 

Captain  James  M.  Wells,  8th  Mich.  Cavalry. 

Sergt.  William  S.  Wells,  8th  Mich.  Cavalry. 

Drummer  boy  Elmer  E.  Wells,  25th  Mich.  Infantry  (age 
thirteen). 

Three  of  the  number  were  prisoners  of  war,  and  three 
were  wounded;  but  all  survived  and  returned  to  civil  life 
but  one,  Captain  Almond  B.  Wells,  who,  after  peace  was 
declared,  went  into  the  Eegular  Army,  and  at  this  writing 
is  retired  on  account  of  age,  with  the  rank  of  Brigadier- 
General. 

Of  all  the  sacrifices  which  a  successful  prosecution  of 
the  war  entailed  upon  the  country,  that  of  raising  men  to 
bear  arms  weighed  heaviest.  It  is  surprising  to  learn  from 
the  official  records  of  the  Adjutant-General's  Office,  War 
Department,  that  2,431,770  men  were  enrolled  in  the 
nation's  defense.  These,  however,  were  not  all  called  to 
the  front,  many  thousands  having  seen  very  little  service 
beyond  the  routine  duty  of  a  military  camp  or  rendezvous 
for  training  purposes.  But  they  enlisted  in  good  faith, 
left  their  homes,  and  the  avenues  of  industry  formerly 
occupied  by  them  were  left  vacant. 

With  this  heavy  drain  upon  the  country's  industrial 
wealth,  to  say  nothing  of  the  desolation  brought  upon 
thousands  of  hitherto  happy  homes,  it  was  in  time  found 
to  be  impossible  to  keep  up  the  decimated  ranks  of  the 
army  by  volunteer  enlistments,  and  so  on  the  3d  day  of 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  65 

May,  1863,  Congress  passed  what  was  known  as  the  "Con- 
script Bill,"  making  every  able-bodied  man  between  the 
ages  of  eighteen  and  forty-five  years  liable  for  military 
duty,  wherever  and  whenever  called  upon  to  serve.  On 
the  1st  of  April  that  law  went  into  effect. 

The  delinquent  States,  counties  and  municipalities,  in 
order  to  fill  the  quota  of  troops  demanded,  offered  large 
sums  of  money  for  able-bodied  men  to  volunteer,  and  when 
this  means  failed,  the  "Draft"  was  applied,  unrelenting 
in  its  scope  and  purpose;  and,  like  the  ill-omened  bird, 
when  men  of  wealth,  of  luxury  and  ease  heard  the  flutter 
of  its  wings,  there  was  consternation  and  mourning  in 
Israel  such  as  never  had  been  felt  before.  The  thought 
of  leaving  their  cushioned  chairs,  luxuriant  offices  and 
beds  of  down,  to  don  a  coarse  uniform  and  occupy  a  bar- 
rack for  a  long  and  tedious  course  of  drill,  living  on  the 
prescribed  ration  of  bacon  and  hard-tack,  was  bad  enough; 
but  add  to  these  disagreeable  features  the  probability  of 
being  soon  compelled  to  expose  their  tender  bodies  as 
targets  for  the  enemy's  shot  and  shell,  and  consternation 
in  some  quarters  assumed  the  proportions  of  a  panic. 

Provost  marshals  and  secret  agents  of  the  Government 
were  stationed  everywhere  to  enforce  the  draft  and  to  see 
that  no  guilty  men  escaped.  A  rule  of  proscription  and 
surveillance  was  inaugurated  irksome  as  martial  law  it- 
self. But  in  this  case,  as  in  most  others,  the  law  was  so 
framed  as  to  allow  the  rich  an  avenue  of  escape.  The 
"drafted"  man  who  was  able  to  do  so  could  hire  a  "sub- 
stitute" to  go  and  fight  in  his  place,  and  so  the  original 
suffered  the  dangers  and  hardships  of  war  by  proxy  only. 
Whether  any  of  this  class  ever  reached  the  point  of  suf- 
fering wounds  or  death,  even  by  proxy,  is  doubtful,  for 
the  "substitute,"  generally  speaking,  made  no  better 


66  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

soldier  than  his  principal  would  have  done  had  he  been 
forced  into  the  ranks. 

Against  all  this,  and  opposed  to  the  prosecution  of  the 
war  under  any  pretext  whatever,  there  was  a  very  strong 
feeling  existing  in  all  the  Northern  States.  Meantime, 
and  what  added  materially  to  the  ranks  of  this  number, 
the  contest  was  going  vigorously  on;  new  levies  of  troops 
were  being  made;  and  almost  every  battle  of  any  con- 
siderable importance  thus  far,  had  resulted  more  or  less 
disastrously  to  the  Union  troops.  Many  of  the  timid  and 
disgruntled  (for  reasons  best  known  to  themselves)  fled 
to  Canada;  while  others  sought  a  safe  retreat  and  a  life 
"close  to  nature"  in  the  mountain  fastnesses  of  the  Wild 
West. 

Others  doubtless  timid  and  opposed  to  the  war  on 
principle,  yet  dominated  by  a  spirit  of  national  pride  so 
far  as  the  integrity  of  the  States  and  the  honor  of  the 
flag  is  concerned,  either  volunteered,  or,  when  the  draft 
came,  "took  their  medicine"  and  went  to  the  front,  mak- 
ing good  soldiers. 

But  there  was  another  class  which  the  exigencies  of  the 
time  brought  to  the  surface,  whose  history  is  unique  and 
little  understood  at  the  present  time.  The  greenback, 
the  currency  of  the  war  period,  had  come  into  general  cir- 
culation, and  money  was  "flush,"  to  use  a  current  phrase, 
and  the  large  bounties  offered  for  substitutes  aroused  the 
cupidity  of  a  class  of  vampires,  barnacles  and  vagabonds 
generally,  that  came  to  be  known,  classified  and  distin- 
guished from  all  others  as 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  67' 

BOUNTY  JUMPERS. 

Many  of  these  had  already  "served  time"  in  the  peni- 
tentiaries for  various  offences  ranging  from  murder  and 
robbery  down  to  petty  larceny;  and  all  were  conscienceless 
rogues  or  criminals  of  the  lowest  type.     Coming  mainly 
from  the  large  cities  of  the  Northern  States  and  Canada 
they  engaged  in  a  system  of  enlistments  for  the  sake  of 
the  bounties,  and  when  opportunity  offered,  deserted  and 
escaped  to  other  States  or  cities,  and  there,  under  as-; 
sumed  names  and  otherwise  disguised,  repeated  the  opera-"' 
tion,  until  in  some  cases  quite  a  fortune  had  been  accu-N 
mulated. 

A  true  estimate  of  the  vagabondage  which  the  army 
called  together  may  be  formed  when  it  is  known  that 
170,316  desertions  took  place  during  the  war,  and  that  of 
this  number  187  were  commissioned  officers.  New  York 
alone  furnished  35,999  of  the  total  number  of  deserters, 
but  her  percentage  of  desertions,  owing  to  the  greater 
number  of  her  large  cities,  was  greater  than  that  of  any 
other  State. 

The  city  of  Detroit,  of  easy  access  to  the  Canadian 
border,  offered  an  inviting  field  for  this  class  of  enlist- 
ments, and  it  is  not  surprising  that  disciplined  troops  had 
to  be  called  in  to  aid  the  authorities  in  holding  them  in 
leash  in  strong  barracks  erected  for  the  purpose,  until 
such  a  time  as  they  could  be  shipped  in  carload  lots  to 
Governors  Island,  and  from  there  to  the  Department  of 
the  Gulf  where  opportunities  for  desertion  and  escape  to 
the  Northern  States  or  to  Canada  were  reduced  to  the 
minimum;  for,  to  seek  an  asylum  anywhere  in  the  Con- 
federacy would  be  like  jumping  from  the  frying  pan  into 
the  fire;  the  Confederate  Government  had  no  more  use 


68  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

for  sneaks  and  deserters  than  our  own,  and  the  punish- 
ment they  inflicted  for  such  offences  was  much  more  swift 
and  terrible. 

In  some  localities  the  amount  paid  for  substitutes  and 
the  different  bounties  offered  ran  up  into  the  four  figures 
mark;  but  it  is  only  justice  to  state  that  many  from  the 
States  and  Canada  as  well,  attracted  by  this  large  sum  of 
money,  enlisted  in  good  faith,  determined  to  take  the 
hazards  of  war  if  only  assured  of  a  comfortable  support 
for  their  families  meantime. 

At  Detroit,  barracks  were  erected  and  headquarters  es- 
tablished for  the  care  and  safe  keeping  of  substitutes  and 
all  that  class  of  involuntary  enlistments,  until  such  time 
as  they  could  be  forwarded  to  the  front;  and  the  winter  of 
1862-3  Company  F.  of  the  8th  Cavalry  was  detailed  for 
provost  duty  at  these  barracks,  the  writer  at  the  time 
being  1st  Sergt.  of  the  company.  While  engaged  in  this 
service  many  curious  incidents  occurred  characteristic  of 
the  men  with  whom  the  Government  had  to  deal.  Here 
is  a  case  in  hand: 

A  Canadian  who  had  received  a  bounty  of  about  $1,200, 
and  whose  wife  and  two  little  children,  a  day  or  two  before 
the  time  set  for  his  departure  for  Governors  Island,  ar- 
rived in  Detroit  for  the  purpose  of  bidding  the  husband 
and  father  good-by.  They  were  not  permitted  to  enter 
the  barracks,  and  the  "substitute"  could  only  meet  his 
wife  and  children  by  gaining  a  permit  to  join  them  on  the 
outside  under  guard.  The  writer  was  detailed  for  that 
service,  and  all  day  and  night  remained  with  his  little 
charge,  taking  in  the  city  and  its  strange  sights;  the  re- 
cruit, meantime,  paying  all  bills  for  oyster  lunches,  thea- 
ters, etc.  When  the  small  hours  of  the  night  came,  and 
with  them  the  necessity  for  rest  and  sleep,  we  repaired  to 


COLONEL  ELISHA  Mix,  EIGHTH  MICHIGAN  CAVALRY. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  69 

a  hotel  where  all  occupied  one  room  with  two  large  beds; 
the  recruit  with  his  little  family  occupying  one  of  these, 
and  I  the  other.  After  locking  the  door  and  placing  the 
key  under  my  pillow,  I  retired  for  the  night  and  slept 
soundly  until  morning;  and  on  separating  the  man  and 
his  wife  the  next  day,  she  with  her  little  ones  to  go  back 
to  her  lonely  home  in  the  forests  of  Canada,  and  he  to  be 
held  under  guard  and  treated  as  a  common  felon  until 
safely  landed  at  the  front,  I  could  but  share  with  them 
the  sorrow  which  this  parting  caused. 

Meantime  promotions  were  in  line  and  Elisha  Mix, 
originally  Captain  of  Co.  F.,  had  reached  the  rank  of 
Major,  and  1st  Lieutenant  Samuel  Wells  was  made  Cap- 
tain of  the  company;  and  by  the  unanimous  choice  of  the 
company  the  writer  was  promoted  to  the  rank  of  2d  Lieu- 
tenant, and,  soon  after,  in  a  new  and  shining  uniform,  was 
sent  home  for  ten  days  on  recruiting  service.  I  never 
shall  forget  the  gratification  I  felt,  and  the  pride  and 
delight  manifested  by  my  mother,  on  presenting  myself 
before  her  the  first  time — as  indeed  it  was  the  last — in 
the  full  dress  uniform  of  an  officer  of  the  United  States 
Army. 

But  events  were  crowding  each  other  in  rapid  succes- 
sion, and  I  was  compelled  to  return  to  my  post  of  duty  at 
Detroit. 

A  squad  of  some  twenty-five  or  thirty  bounty  jumpers 
of  the  class  already  described  had  been  collected  and  were 
now  to  be  sent  on  to  Governors  Island.  "Hub"  Smith, 
formerly  a  policeman  on  the  regular  force  at  Detroit,  but 
now  a  Captain  of  the  Provost  Guard,  was  detailed  to  take 
charge  of  this  shipment.  Both  strong  and  fearless,  he  had 
been  accustomed,  as  a  policeman,  to  dealing  with  rough 
characters,  and  was  well  chosen  for  this  work.  Three 


70  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

enlisted  men  and  myself  were  selected  by  Captain  Smith 
to  aid  in  guarding  the  prisoners — for  such  they  really 
were — on  the  journey  by  rail  from  Detroit  to  their  destina- 
tion. It  should  be  borne  in  mind  that  travel  by  rail  at 
that  time  was  not  what  it  is  now,  as  fifty-six  hours  were 
consumed  in  the  passage  from  Detroit  to  New  York. 

Before  embarking,  every  man  of  the  motley  group  was 
thoroughly  searched  for  everything  that  could  be  made  use 
of  as  a  weapon  of  offense  or  a  means  of  escape.  The  con- 
nections by  rail  were  uncertain,  and  our  car  was  often 
sidetracked  on  the  route  for  hours  at  a  time.  But  there 
was  no  relief  guard,  and  while  the  prisoners  slept  (or 
pretended  to  sleep)  the  vigilance  of  those  having  them  in 
charge  could  in  no  manner  be  relaxed.  At  stations  where 
halts  were  made  a  window  on  one  side  of  the  car  was 
raised,  through  which  food  and  soft  drinks  were  passed  to 
the  prisoners.  Many  of  these  desperate  men  belonged  in 
New  York  and  Philadelphia,  and  it  went  without  saying 
that  as  they  neared  the  scenes  of  their  former  operations 
no  opportunity  for  escape  would  be  allowed  to  go  unim- 
proved. 

So  one  day  while  traveling  on  the  New  York  and  Erie 
Railroad,  the  train  moving  slowly  up  a  heavy  grade  in  a 
blinding  snowstorm,  guards  as  well  as  prisoners  seemed 
to  have  relaxed  and  fallen  into  a  quiet  state  bordering 
close  upon  sleep.  Captain  Smith,  taking  advantage  of  this 
relaxation,  had  gone  forward  into  the  smoker  to  catch  a 
cat  nap,  leaving  myself  and  one  other  guard  stationed  at 
each  door  to  look  after  the  car  containing  the  prisoners. 
I  was  at  the  rear  door  reclining  on  a  box  of  wood,  with 
one  foot  resting  on  the  floor,  and  while  thus  dozing,  about 
half  asleep,  my  attention  was  arrested  by  a  group  of  pris- 
oners in  the  center  of  the  car  apparently  engaged  in  a 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  71 

consultation  of  some  kind.  This  made  me  a  little  appre- 
hensive, but,  being  very  tired,  did  not  instantly  move,  and 
one  of  the  group,  a  leader  among  them,  came  sauntering 
toward  me  in  a  listless  manner;  when,  a  little  more  awak- 
ened, I  began  sliding  down  from  the  box  of  wood  in  order 
to  plant  myself  squarely  upon  my  feet.  My  hands  were 
folded  across  my  breast,  the  right  hand  near  a  six-shooter 
in  an  inside  pocket. 

While  in  the  act  of  rising  upon  my  feet,  the  tall  pris- 
oner, advancing  quickly,  stood  over  me,  brandishing  a 
knife,  the  blade  of  which  looked  to  be  as  long  as  a  cavalry- 
man's saber,  and,  hissing  through  his  teeth  as  he  did  so, 
said:  "Don't  you  move  a  muscle  or  I'll  cut  your  throat 
from  ear  to  ear."  This  was  a  line  of  attack  I  had  not 
been  taught  to  guard  against  in  the  regular  routine  of 
drill,  and  so  stood  completely  at  the  mercy  of  this  desperate 
man;  and  why  he  did  not  carry  out  his  threat  at  once  I 
have  never  known. 

Among  the  many  reflections  that  passed  through  my 
mind,  the  first  was  of  Captain  Smith,  in  command  of  the 
expedition,  in  whose  strength  and  valor  I  greatly  relied, 
and  inwardly  exclaimed:  "0  'Hub/  unless  instantly 
favored  with  a  glimpse  of  your  stalwart  form,  my  term  of 
service  will  be  cut  suddenly  short."  It  is  said  that  prayer 
is  no  more  than  a  desire  of  the  heart,  and  this  prayer  must 
have  been  answered,  for  simultaneously  with  the  thought 
Captain  Smith  appeared  upon  the  scene,  but  he  was  still 
nearly  sixty  feet  away,  while  the  murderous  knife  was 
being  held  within  a  few  inches  of  my  throat. 

As  quick  as  a  flash,  and  with  the  stealthy  tread  of  a  cat, 
Smith  came  down  the  aisle,  and  before  I  had  time  to 
realize  fully  what  was  passing  my  tall  assailant  began  a 
backward  somersault,  in  which  his  head  and  shoulders 


72  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

went  quickly  to  the  floor,  while  his  heels  approached  the 
ceiling,  the  knife,  meantime,  falling  out  of  his  hand. 
Smith,  holding  him  by  the  collar  and  the  throat,  then 
called  for  a  pair  of  handcuffs,  which  were  supplied  at  once 
and  slipped  upon  the  prisoner's  hands.  While  this  was 
transpiring  the  guard  at  the  other  door  had  leveled  his 
pistol  at  the  prisoners  in  the  center  of  the  car,  who,  see- 
ing their  leader  manacled,  sank  quietly  into  their  seats. 

It  was  the  purpose  of  the  conspirators  to  have  over- 
powered the  other  guard  and  myself  in  the  absence  of 
Captain  Smith  and  then  jump  off  the  slow-moving  train, 
making  good  their  escape.  But  they  had  not  had  time  to 
mature  a  plan  and  there  was  no  instant  cooperation  among 
them,  otherwise  the  affair  might  have  ended  differently. 
Of  course,  we  were  all  greatly  surprised  that  the  prisoners 
had  in  possession  such  a  knife,  but  it  had  been  smuggled 
through  the  window,  doubtless  by  friends  outside. 

They  were  preparing  for  another  break,  as  was  evident 
from  their  movements,  when  the  train  should  reach  Jersey 
City  the  following  night,  but  Captain  Smith  telegraphed 
the  commandant  at  Governors  Island,  asking  for  a 
heavier  guard,  and  when  the  train  reached  the  long  depot 
in  Jersey  City  the  prisoners  were  allowed  to  file  out  at 
one  door,  but  in  doing  so  they  stepped  between  two  files 
of  bayonets  extending  clear  around  the  car.  Thus  all  hope 
of  escape  was  cut  off  and  our  responsibility  as  guards  came 
to  an  end,  after  which  we  were  not  slow  in  finding  a  hotel 
where  all  took  rooms,  sleeping  soundly  until  the  middle 
of  the  next  day. 

A  day  or  two  later,  in  company  with  the  three  other 
guards,  I  made  the  return  trip  via  the  "New  York  Central 
and  the  Great  Western  railroads  through  Canada  to 
Windsor  and  Detroit. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  73 

What  with  deserters,  bounty  jumpers  and  sneaks  from 
our  own  borders,  and  refugees  from  the  Southern  States, 
encouraged  as  they  were  by  the  sympathy  which  the  Cana- 
dian and  British  Governments  everywhere  gave  our 
enemies,  a  man  wearing  the  United  States  uniform,  in 
passing  through  Canada  at  that  period,  was  reminded  at 
every  turn  that  he  was  traveling  in  a  foreign  and  hostile 
country.  Our  party  on  the  way  was  repeatedly  accosted 
and  surrounded  by  groups  of  men,  often  bold  and  defiant 
and  sometimes  insulting,  but  by  keeping  close  together  we 
gained  what  advantage  there  was  to  be  found  in  concert 
of  action,  and  doubtless  looked  a  little  too  formidable  for 
a  successful  attack,  except  it  be  the  occasion  of  a  general 
riot,  and  we  did  not  remain  long  enough  in  any  one  place 
for  a  belligerent  force  of  that  character  to  gather;  but  the 
disposition  to  so  assemble  was  made  manifest  on  every 
hand. 

Such,  in  brief,  is  the  history  of  the  "Conscript  Bill" 
and  its  legitimate  child,  the  "Bounty  Jumper,"  and  now, 
to  keep  "touch  of  elbow"  with  events  as  they  transpire, 
we  take  up  the  story  of 

"THE  PASSING  KEGIMENT." 

The  above  heading  is  the  title  of  one  of  the  most  pop- 
ular and  engaging  paintings  to  be  seen  in  the  Corcoran 
Art  Gallery,  Washington,  D.  C.  It  is  done  in  oil  by  a 
master  hand,  and,  between  the  work  of  art  and  the  sub- 
ject represented,  the  picture  elicits  great  admiration.  A 
full  regiment  of  cavalry — twelve  companies  of  one  hundred 
men  each — armed  cap  a  pie  marching  by  platoons  or  in 
column  of  fours  through  the  streets  of  a  populous  city 
affords  a  spectacle  of  stirring  interest.  In  the  imagination 


74  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

of  the  uninitiated  each  company  of  one  hundred  assumes 
the  proportions  of  at  least  a  thousand  men,  even  though 
is  be  but  a  holiday  parade  in  time  of  profound  peace.  But 
when  a  regiment  whose  ranks  are  made  up  from  among 
the  people  starts  out  from  its  rendezvous  to  take  up  the 
gage  of  battle,  plunging  at  once  into  the  vortex  of  a  bloody 
war,  the  interest  is  intensified  and  the  imagination  is  none 
too  expansive  to  cover  the  range  of  possibilities  suggested 
by  such  a  picture;  familiar  as  these  scenes  became  during 
the  war,  and  almost  of  weekly  occurrence,  the  interest  in 
"The  Passing  Regiment"  never  abated  until  the  end.  The 
good-byes  and  the  God-speeds  were  as  heartfelt  and  as 
warmly  extended  to  the  regiments  that  went  out  later  in 
the  contest  as  to  those  responding  to  the  first  call.  Fa- 
miliarity with  the  preparations  for,  and  the  terrible  scenes 
incident  to  the  war  itself,  only  increased  the  admiration 
for  those  who  braved  its  perils;  for,  indeed,  the  dangers 
increased  as  time  advanced. 

After  the  winter  of  '62-3  the  great  battles  were  yet  to 
be  fought.  Gettysburg,  Fredericksburg,  Vicksburg,  Spott- 
sylvania  Court  House,  Atlanta,  Chattanooga  and  all  the 
great  cavalry  raids  formed  no  part  of  the  war's  history  at 
that  time.  The  bravery  of  the  Southern  soldier,  however, 
and  his  determination  to  fight  to  the  bitter  end  was  no 
longer  a  question  of  doubt,  and  those  who  went  out  to 
confront  him  in  those  later  years  surely  were  not  looking 
for  holiday  parades. 

So  the  8th  Michigan  Cavalry,  in  the  early  spring  of 
1863,  was  greeted  on  the  march  from  Mount  Clemens  to 
Detroit,  there  to  embark  by  rail  for  Cincinnati.  Crossing 
the  Ohio  River  at  the  latter  place,  the  regiment  first  went 
into  camp  at  Covington,  Kentucky,  and  thence  marched 
via  the  Lexington  pike  to  Nicholasville  and  Camp  Nelson. 


f  := 


2  > 

I  I 
s:   H 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  75 

Colonel  John  Stockton,  who  organized  the  regiment  at 
Mount  Clemens  and  carried  it  to  this  point,  being  a  very 
old  man,  here  resigned  and  returned  home.  The  com- 
mand then  fell  upon  Lieutenant-Colonel  Grover  S.  Wormer, 
who  was  soon  made  full  Colonel;  but  after  a  few  months 
in  the  field  he  was  detailed  on  recruiting  and  organization 
service  at  Jackson,  and  there  remained.  The  command 
then  devolved  upon  Major  Elisha  Mix,  originally  Captain 
of  Company  F,  who  had  meantime  been  advanced  to  a 
full  Colonelcy,  and  who  commanded  the  regiment  through 
all  its  campaigns  till  the  close  of  the  war. 

From  headquarters  at  Nicholasville  the  regiment  was 
set  at  work  at  once,  often  in  small  detachments,  hunting 
guerrilla  bands  in  Eastern  Kentucky  and  in  chasing  raid- 
ing parties  of  the  enemy,  who  were  constantly  invading 
that  country  for  forage  and  other  sinews  of  war;  and 
from  this  time  forward  the  regiment  knew  no  rest  until 
mustered  out  in  September,  1865. 

Our  first  arm  was  the  Spencer  rifle — a  magazine  gun 
of  great  power — a  saber  and  a  Colt's  "Navy  Six."  A  well- 
drilled  and  disciplined  regiment  so  armed  would  seem  to 
be  almost  invincible,  and  the  belief  generally  prevailed 
among  the  men  that  such  was  the  case.  The  early  success 
in  routing  and  capturing  small  bands  of  the  enemy  added 
greatly  to  this  confidence,  and  the  enthusiasm  to  get  into 
a  general  engagement  knew  no  bounds. 

These  Confederate  raiders  through  Kentucky,  however, 
being  among  friends  and  kindred,  had  us  at  a  great  dis- 
advantage. Their  horses  were  the  best,  and,  knowing  the 
ground  and  the  country  well,  with  friends  at  almost  every 
turn,  they  could  more  easily  elude  pursuit  or  give  battle 
in  positions  most  favorable  to  themselves.  The  Union 
soldier,  meantime,  on  unfamiliar  ground  among  strangers, 


76  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

was  compelled  to  act  on  his  own  initiative,  and  at  the  same 
time  observe  the  regulations  and  orders  governing  the  army 
when  in  territory  claiming  the  protection  of  the  United 
States  Government. 

At  length  near  Tripletts  Bridge  came  the  first  approach 
to  a  general  engagement.  Surprising  and  routing  a  large 
raiding  party  of  the  enemy,  we  were  successful  in  killing, 
wounding  and  capturing  about  thirty  of  their  number. 
The  deeds  of  bravery  and  acts  of  individual  heroism  ex- 
hibited by  officers  and  men  in  that  engagement  (as  related 
by  themselves  around  the  camp  fire  the  following  night) 
were  as  entertaining  as  the  Arabian  Nights  Tales,  and 
enough  to  establish  the  fighting  status  of  the  regiment, 
had  no  other  service  ever  been  required  of  it. 

Active  operations  of  this  kind  soon  develop  the  peculiar 
characteristics  of 

THE  VOLUNTEER  SOLDIER. 

Those  traits  that  not  only  render  him  of  great  value  in 
the  field,  but  which  often  constitute  him  the  life  of  the 
camp  and  the  bivouac  or  the  good-natured  butt  of  his 
comrades  are  soon  made  apparent ;  for  when  a  soldier  can't 
have  fun,  even  under  the  most  trying  circumstances,  his 
duties  become  irksome  and  his  service  less  valuable.  The 
volunteers  are  a  crowd  of  rollicking  fellows  whose  names, 
among  themselves,  are  often  transposed  or  set  on  end  in  a 
manner  apparently  to  suit  the  character  of  the  one  to 
whom  applied.  It  would  be  interesting  to  know  by  what 
rule  of  genealogical  research  he  arrives  at  these  apt  and 
curious  cognomens. 

"Uncle  Bill/'  Sherman,  "Pap"  Thomas  and  "Black 
Jack"  Logan  were  the  names  applied  to  three  favorite 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  77 

Generals  in  the  West;  and  any  one  of  those  names  was 
an  inspiration  to  the  men  who  were  brought  under  the 
command  of  those  officers.  In  the  French  army  Napoleon 
was  the  "Little  Corporal/'  and  so  the  list  runs  on.  Judson 
Brown,  of  Company  F,  addicted  to  the  use  of  whisky,  and 
who  had  been  arrested  when  coming  in  from  a  mountain 
distillery  with  a  jug  half  full  of  applejack,  soon  came  to 
be  known  as  "Little  Brown  Jugson."  W.  D.  McElhenney, 
who  had  been  caught  with  a  beehive  full  of  honey  rolled 
up  in  a  blanket,  forever  after  answered  to  the  name  of 
"Mucklehoney ;"  and  in  this  manner  the  long  and  curious 
role  of  apt  names  was  known  and  perpetuated. 

One  evening,  going  into  camp  hungry  and  with  little 
prospect  ahead  for  immediate  relief,  there  was  some  com- 
plaint among  the  men,  and  in  a  brief  talk  the  commanding 
officer  urged  them  to  stand  to  the  work  and  take  their 
medicine  as  he  was  doing  himself,  concluding  his  remarks 
by  saying:  "A  soldier  cannot  expect  to  be  fed,  groomed 
and  blanketed  like  a  race  horse/'  Whereupon  John  Wil- 
lerton,  a  big  Cornishman,  in  the  broad  vernacular  of  his 
kind,  said :  "Tha's  all  werry  weil,  Cap'n,  but  wen  a  mon's 
got  note  to  hate  and  note  to  derrink  (nothing  to  eat  and 
nothing  to  drink)  an'  werry  leetle  to  warre,  ye  kaant  expect 
'im  to  ma-ak  mooch  of  a  ra-ace."  Having  no  ready  answer 
for  these  pertinent  suggestions,  the  officer  closed  the  inci- 
dent without  further  remark. 

Probably  not  since  the  invasion  of  the  British  Isles  by 
the  Eomans  has  there  been  found  an  army  of  any  conse- 
quence, savage  or  civilized,  that  did  not  contain  an  Irish- 
man. Indeed,  the  righting  forces  of  Christendom  would 
be  weakened  if  the  Irish  element  therein  contained  were 
eliminated. 

The  story  goes  that  Napoleon,  confronted  by  an  over- 


78  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

whelming  force,  was  debating  whether  to  continue  the 
fight  or  retreat,  and,  standing  in  front  of  his  army,  de- 
manded to  know  if  O'Shaughenssy  were  in  the  ranks,  and, 
if  so,  he  said:  "Let  him  step  three  paces  to  the  front." 
Whereupon  a  stalwart  son  of  the  Emerald  Isle  stepped 
out,  and,  saluting,  answered,  "Sorr  I"  Upon  this  Napoleon 
is  said  to  have  exclaimed,  "I  am  satisfied.  Let  the  battle 
go  on  I" 

The  8th  Cavalry  was  favored  with  the  presence  of  a 
good  many  Irish  soldiers,  and  among  the  number  Martin 
McCune,  whose  ready  wit  and  unbounded  good  nature  had 
helped  him  out  of  many  scrapes,  was,  nevertheless,  fre- 
quently in  trouble,  and  especially  at  times  when  there  was 
a  mountain  distillery  within  a  day's  march.  Martin,  unlike 
the  majority  of  his  race,  was  slow  to  go  under  fire,  and 
frequently  invented  excuses  for  avoiding  that  irksome 
duty.  One  day,  while  calling  for  volunteers  to  join  in  a 
scout  likely  to  prove  both  fatiguing  and  hazardous,  the 
officer  in  command,  already  mounted,  was  calling  upon  the 
men  to  "fall  in,"  when  Martin  was  discovered  limping 
away  in  the  distance.  He  had  been  complaining  of  a  boil 
on  his  ankle,  a  trifling  ailment,  but  hearing  the  call  for 
volunteers,  he  was  suddenly  seized  with  a  lameness. 
Whereupon  the  Captain  called  and  asked  him  if  he  did 
not  intend  to  join  the  scouting  party.  Martin,  first  rub- 
bing his  shin  caressingly,  looked  up  with  an  air  and  expres- 
sion as  of  extreme  disappointment  and  said:  "'Pon  me 
soul,  Oi'd  be  the  first  mon  to  fall  in,  but  Oi'm  no  more 
fit  to  go  on  duty  than  a  dead  mon;  me  shane  is  swelled 
clear  to  me  hap !"  A  comrade  standing  near  gave  Martin 
the  laugh,  as  if  in  doubt  of  the  real  condition  of  his 
"shane."  Upon  this,  as  if  suddenly  seized  with  a  thought, 
Martin  spoke  up  and  said:  "Never  moind,  Oi'll  go,  but 


LIEUTENANT  LOVINAS  H.  PATTON, 
EIGHTH  MICHIGAN  CAVALRY. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  79 

it's  very  warrum,  hadn't  I  better  take  some  contanes  and 
go  for  wather  ?"  He  was  ordered  to  gather  up  the  canteens 
and  go  to  the  spring  for  water,  some  distance  below,  and 
so  disappeared,  but  did  not  return  until  the  party  of 
volunteers  had  been  made  up  and  left  on  the  scout. 

Where  all  are  so  worthy  it  may  seem  unjust  to  designate 
by  name  any  one  soldier  as  being  foremost  in  the  ranks  of 
the  brave  and  meritorious;  but  it  sometimes  happens  that 
acts  of  heroism  and  devotion  to  duty  stand  out  in  relief 
so  bold  as  to  challenge  admiration  and  demand  special 
notice. 

In  one  of  the  many  engagements  in  front  of  Knoxville 
the  regiment,  while  in  the  advance,  had  been  compelled 
to  fall  back,  but  again  rallied  and  took  a  position  behind 
a  barricade  of  rails.  Between  the  opposing  lines  was  a 
spring  which  afforded  the  only  water  for  both  commands. 
Along  the  slope  between  the  lines  wounded  men  were 
begging  for  water,  but  the  spring,  now  covered  by  the 
enemy's  sharpshooters,  was  inaccessible.  Beside,  the 
utmost  effort  on  the  part  of  all  was  required  to  hold  the 
position  and  prevent  a  general  retreat. 

Up  to  this  time  Lovinas  H.  Patton  had  never  done  any- 
thing to  especially  distinguish  him  from  others  of  his 
worthy  comrades.  But  now,  as  will  appear,  the  supreme 
test  had  come.  The  cries  for  water  were  plainly  heard 
above  the  din  of  battle,  and  Patton,  in  a  quick  and  impetu- 
ous manner,  threw  down  his  carbine,  exclaiming  as  he  did 
so:  "Boys,  I  can't  stand  this  any  longer;  I'm  going  to 
give  those  men  some  water  or  die  trying;"  whereupon  he 
gathered  up  some  canteens  and  started  for  the  spring.  A 
storm  of  bullets  whistled  around  him  as  he  hurried  on; 
but,  reaching  the  spring  unharmed,  he  had  filled  his  can- 
teens and  was  in  the  act  of  stooping  over  a  wounded  man, 


8o 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


when  he  was  struck  by  a  rifle  ball  and  fell  desperately 
wounded. 

The  shot  had  entered  on  the  right-hand  side  of  the 
neck  and,  ranging  upward,  passed  between  the  windpip'e 
and  spinal  column,  shattering  the  left  jaw  as  it  passed 
through  the  cheek  bone  just  under  the  left  eye.  For- 
tunately he  fell  face  downward  and  also  head  foremost  on 
the  sloping  ground,  so  that  the  blood  flowed  outward,  thus 
preventing  immediate  strangulation  from  his  own  blood. 
Night  came  on  soon,  when  the  wounded  were  all  relieved 
and  the  troops  fell  back.  Patton,  after  having  been  fur- 
nished with  a  horse,  rode  twelve  miles  that  night,  reach- 
ing a  field  hospital  about  daylight,  having  had  no  atten- 
tion or  aid  of  any  kind,  excepting  that  of  a  comrade  to 
lead  his  horse. 

Within  three  weeks  he  was  discharged  from  the  hospital 
and  went  home  on  leave  of  absence,  where  he  remained 
three  months  on  sick  leave;  at  the  expiration  of  which 
time  he  returned  to  the  regiment  and  again  took  up  his 
place  in  the  ranks.  He  afterward  performed  repeated  acts 
of  bravery,  for  all  of  which  he  received  notice  in  a  special 
order,  and  was  soon  commissioned  a  First  Lieutenant. 
Some  years  after  the  close  of  the  war  Patton  died  a  hor- 
rible death  while  fighting  a  forest  fire  in  northern 
Michigan. 

William  S.  Wells,  himself  already  wounded,  had  also  his 
horse  shot  from  under  him.  The  troops  retiring,  Wells 
had  fallen  considerably  in  the  rear,  where  he  became  a 
special  target  for  the  enemy,  but  true  to  his  soldiery  in- 
stincts and  training,  the  preservation  and  care  of  his  equip- 
ments occupied  his  mind  rather  than  his  own  safety.  Ap- 
parently without  thought  as  to  the  best  means  of  saving 
himself,  he  began  to  unloose  the  saddle  girth  and  at  the 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  81 

same  time,  called  out  to  the  officer  in  command:    "Cap- 
tain, what  shall  I  do  with  my  saddle?" 

Constantly  on  the  move,  in  many  hard  marches  and 
sharp  contests  with  the  enemy,  the  regiment  had  already 
seen  sufficient  service  to  establish  that  confidence  between 
officers  and  men,  and  in  the  mettle  and  staying  qualities 
of  the  animals,  which  must  exist  before  cavalry  can  be 
made  effective  in  the  field,  when  the  8th  was  called  upon 
to  take  a  hand  in  one  of  the  most  notable  events  of  the 
war;  and  now  known  to  history  as 

THE  MORGAN  RAID. 

General  John  H.  Morgan,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  was 
one  of  the  most  unique  and  striking  figures  on  the  part 
of  the  Confederates  during  that  period  remarkable  for  its 
stirring  events  and  the  illustrious  names  it  has  given  to 
posterity.  A  detailed  account  of  Morgan's  adventures  at 
the  head  of  his  daring  raiders;  or  as  a  scout  and  spy  within 
the  Union  lines,  reads  like  a  romance  of  the  Dick  Turpin 
school.  And  when  early  in  July,  1863,  the  fact  was 
heralded  throughout  the  border  States  that  this  noted 
chieftain  had  left  his  retreat  in  the  Cumberland  Mountains 
of  East  Tennessee  and  at  the  head  of  three  or  four  thou- 
sand troopers,  superbly  mounted,  was  swooping  down  upon 
Kentucky  and  other  border  States,  destined  nobody  knew 
where;  the  alarm  created  in  all  the  States  bordering  on 
the  Ohio  River  assumed  the  proportions  of  a  panic. 

The  tocsin  of  alarm  once  sounded,  all  available  troops 
located  in  Kentucky  and  along  the  Ohio  River,  from 
Paducah  to  Cincinnati  and  Covington,  were  hastily  put  in 
readiness  for  action  on  the  line  of  defense  or  in  pursuit  of 
the  invader,  as  circumstances  might  direct.  The  news- 


82  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

papers  of  Louisville  and  Cincinnati  gave  wide  circulation 
to  the  wildest  rumors  as  to  Morgan's  ultimate  purpose  and 
destination,  all  of  which,  of  course,  were  matters  of  con- 
jecture only. 

Major-General  Ambrose  E.  Burnside,  in  command  of 
the  Department  of  the  Ohio,  headquarters  at  Cincinnati, 
was  the  officer  upon  whom  devolved  the  perplexing  duty 
of  directing  the  campaign  against  the  bold  raider. 

Though  Morgan  left  the  Cumberland  Mountains  the 
latter  part  of  June,  the  raid,  it  may  be  said,  was  only 
fairly  launched  when  at  the  head  of  his  troops — then  sup- 
posed to  be  invincible — he  struck  a  detachment  of  the 
25th  Michigan  Infantry  in  command  of  Colonel  Orlando 
H.  Moore,  at  Tebbs  Bend,  Green  Eiver  Bridge  in  southern 
Kentucky,  the  morning  of  July  4th. 

The  origin  and  purpose  of  the  raid,  are  fully  disclosed 
in  the  following  official  correspondence  between  the  Con- 
federate Generals  having  the  matter  in  hand.  That 
Morgan  himself  was  the  originator  of  the  plan,  and  keen 
to  enter  upon  its  execution,  is  clearly  set  forth  in  this 
correspondence. 

SPECIAL  ORDERS 
No.  44. 

HEADQUARTERS  CAVALRY  CORPS, 

NEAR  SHELBYVILLE,  June  18,  1863. 

General  Morgan  will  proceed  to  Kentucky  with  a  force  of 
2,000  officers  and  men,  including  such  artillery  as  he  may  deem 
expedient.  In  addition  to  accomplishing  the  work  which  he  has 
proposed,  he  will,  as  far  as  possible,  break  up  and  destroy  the 
Louisville  and  Nashville  Railroad.  He  will,  if  practicable, 
destroy  depots  of  supplies  in  the  state  of  Kentucky,  after 
which  he  will  return  to  this  present  position 

By  order  of  Major-General  Wheeler. 

E.  S.  BURFORD, 
Assistant  Adjutant-General. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  83 

Prior  to  General  Morgan's  departure,  I  (General  Wheeler) 
wrote  him  one  or  two  letters  in  which  I  urged  his  rapid  move- 
ments, stating  that  I  hoped  his  movements  would  be  so  rapid 
that  he  would  be  on  his  return  to  our  army  before  General 
Rosecrans  could  be  certain  he  had  left  for  Kentucky. 


In  these  letters  to  General  Morgan  and  in  General  Morgan's 
letters  to  me,  not  one  word  was  said  about  his  crossing  the 
Ohio  River;  but  on  the  contrary,  he  was  urged  by  me  to  ob- 
serve the  importance  of  his  returning  to  our  army  as  rapidly 
as  possible 


JOS.  WHEELER, 

Major-General. 

COL.  GEORGE  WILLIAM  BRENT, 
Assistant  Adjutant-General, 
Army  of  Tennessee. 

ADDENDA. 

McMiNNviLLE,  June  15, 1863. 
MAJ.  GEN.  JOSEPH  WHEELER  : 

Your  dispatch  is  just  received.  Can  accomplish  everything 
with  2,000  men  and  four  guns.  To  make  the  attempt  with  less 
might  prove  disastrous,  as  large  details  will  be  required  at 
Louisville  to  destroy  the  transportation,  shipping  and  govern- 
ment property.  Can  I  go?  The  result  is  certain. 

JOHN  H.  MORGAN, 

Brigadier-General. 

On  the  27th  of  June,  Gen.  S.  D.  Sturgis,  in  command 
of  the  military  district  of  Kentucky,  then  for  the  first  time 
informed  of  Morgan's  approach,  ordered  Col.  J.  I.  David, 
of  the  9th  Michigan  Cavalry,  to  proceed  with  his  regiment 
to  Sanford,  scout  the  country  beyond  that  point,  and 
watch  the  movements  of  the  enemy.  The  20th  Kentucky 
Infantry,  numbering  about  350  men,  under  Col.  Chas.  S. 
Hanson  was  stationed  at  Lebanon;  Gen.  S.  P.  Carter  with 


84  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

a  small  force  at  Somerset,  and  Col.  Moore  with  200  men 
of  the  25th  Michigan  Infantry  at 

TEBBS  END. 

These  outlying  troops  were  stationed  so  as  to  cover  the 
avenues  of  approach  likely  to  be  followed  by  an  invading 
enemy.  Morgan  must  have  been  well  informed  as  to  the 
location  and  strength  of  these  various  commands,  and 
believing  that  little  opposition  to  his  steady  advance  could 
be  offered,  after  an  all  night  march  on  the  3d,  the  head 
of  his  column  reached  Green  Eiver  in  front  of  Colonel 
Moore,  early  on  the  morning  of  July  4th.  The  anniver- 
sary of  our  National  independence  was  not  an  auspicious 
day  for  the  Confederates.  The  garrison  at  the  river  had 
made  the  best  possible  use  of  the  little  time  allowed  them 
in  which  to  prepare  for  defense,  after  receiving  warning 
of  Morgan's  approach.  There  was  a  narrow  neck  of  land 
that  formed  the  entrance  to  the  bend,  which  was  flanked 
on  either  side  by  the  stream,  and  through  this  pass,  on 
over  the  bridge,  the  road  ran  upon  which  Morgan  was 
rapidly  drawing  near.  Across  this  neck  of  land,  which 
afforded  a  very  strong  natural  defense,  the  Union  troops 
were  entrenched  behind  a  temporary  abatis;  and  there, 
crouching  among  the  fallen  timber,  the  little  Spartan  band 
awaited  the  shock  of  battle.  There  was  no  delay  on  the 
part  of  the  enemy,  and  Colonel  Moore  had  not  long  to  wait.- 
The  early  sun  of  that  glorious  anniversary  had  not  kissed 
away  the  dew,  when  slumbering  denizens  along  the  peace- 
ful valley  of  the  Green  Eiver  were  rudely  awakened  by  the 
roar  of  artillery;  and  over  the  gentle  slopes  and  hilltops 
the  smoke  of  battle  settled  like  a  pall.  Early  in  the 
engagement,  under  a  flag  of  truce,  a  Confederate  officer 
handed  Colonel  Moore  the  following  dispatch: 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  85 

HEADQUARTERS,  MORGAN'S  DIVISION. 
IN  THE  FIELD  IN  FRONT  OF  GREEN  RIVER  STOCKADE, 

July  4,  1863. 

To  the  Officer  Commanding  the  Federal  Forces  at  Stockade, 
near  Green  Eiver  Bridge,  Kentucky. 

SIR  : — In  the  name  of  the  Confederate  States  Government,  I 
demand  an  immediate  and  unconstitutional  surrender  of  the 
entire  force  under  your  command  together  with  the  stockade. 
I  am, 

.Very  respectfully,  sir, 

(signed)  JOHN  H.  MORGAN, 

Commanding  Cavalry, 
C.  S.  Army. 

The  enemy's  artillery  at  the  first  attack  had  been 
brought  into  play,  thus  early  developing  his  superiority  in 
numbers  and  equipment  (Colonel  Moore  having  no  artil- 
lery), and  when  this  message  was  received,  breathing  in 
every  syllable  the  supreme  confidence  of  the  Confederate 
leader,  two  Union  soldiers  were  lying  wounded;  but  firm 
in  his  purpose  not  to  surrender,  there  immediately  went 
back  from  Colonel  Moore  the  following  laconic  reply: 

"To-day  being  the  4th  of  July,  I  cannot  entertain  your  prop- 
osition." 

The  attack  was  then  renewed  with  increased  vigor,  and 
repeated  charges  were  made,  but  every  assault  was  re- 
pulsed with  equal  courage  and  determination  on  the  part 
of  the  Union  troops,  who  seemed  inspired  with  the  mem- 
ories of  the  day,  and  fought  with  desperate  energy  against 
overwhelming  numbers. 

Morgan  and  his  command  represented  the  flower  of 
Kentucky  chivalry.  They  were  on  their  native  heath, 
trained  to  horsemanship,  and  had  the  reputation  of  a 
brave  and  chivalrous  people  to  uphold;  but  with  all  their 
dash  and  spirit  they  were  unable  to  dislodge  this  little 
garrison  of  embattled  farmers  from  Michigan.  The  bat- 


86  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

tie  raged  unabated  until  far  into  the  day,  when  Morgan 
was  forced  to  withdraw  his  troops  after  a  loss  of  50  men 
killed  and  250  wounded.  The  casualties  on  the  Confed- 
erate side  were  found  to  be  greater  than  the  whole  number 
of  troops  opposed  to  them.  The  Union  losses  were  6 
killed  and  53  wounded.  So  determined  was  the  fighting 
conducted  by  the  assailing  forces  that  little  attention  had 
been  given  to  their  killed  and  wounded;  and  after  a  ces- 
sation of  hostilities  a  flag  of  truce  was  sent  in  asking  per- 
mission to  bury  their  dead,  still  lying  where  they  had 
fallen,  in  front  of  the  Union  line  of  works.  This  privilege 
was  granted,  but  without  waiting  to  avail  himself  of  the 
opportunity,  Morgan,  badly  defeated,  though  little 
daunted,  left  his  dead  and  the  seriously  wounded  to  what- 
ever fate  the  further  fortunes  of  war  might  have  for  them, 
and  continued  on  his  ill-starred  mission,  reaching  Lebanon 
at  7  o'clock  the  following  morning,  where  he  at  once  at- 
tacked Colonel  Hanson,  who  had  but  a  handful  of  men. 

On  the  evening  of  July  4th  the  8th  Michigan  Cavalry, 
at  Camp  Nelson,  50  miles  distant,  through  a  dispatch 
from  General  Sturgis,  was  ordered  to  move  with  all  pos- 
sible speed  to  the  relief  of 

THE  GARRISON  AT  LEBANON. 

This  order  was  received  at  8  o'clock  P.  M.  and  at  9 
o'clock  the  8th  was  under  way.  To  arouse  a  regiment  of 
soldiers  at  night,  after  indulging  in  the  revelries  and  lax 
discipline  incident  to  a  holiday  like  the  4th  of  July;  pro- 
vide feed  and  rations  for  a  thousand  men  and  animals, 
equip  them  for  an  indefinite  march,  and  move  out  within 
an  hour,  ready  for  any  emergency,  is  a  feat  of  which  the 
layman  has  little  conception;  but  to  the  initiated  it  is 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  87 

one  highly  commendatory  of  the  efficiency  of  the  officers 
and  men  of  that  command.  Once  in  line,  at  the  word 
"Forward,"  men  and  horses  plunge  into  the  darkness.  Of 
what  may  be  in  front  very  little  is  known  (save  only  that 
the  enemy  lurks  there  somewhere)  and  nothing  can  be 
seen.  The  face  of  the  country  seems  to  have  been  changed 
The  roads,  heretofore  familiar,  and  smooth  enough  when 
traveled  by  daylight,  are  now  metamorphosed  into 
gulches,  hills  and  pitfalls,  often  endangering  the  life  or 
limb  of  man  and  beast.  Until  2  o'clock  the  following 
morning  the  pace  is  kept  up,  first  on  the  walk,  then  trot- 
ting and  galloping  alternately,  and  again  dismounting  to 
"lead."  In  this  manner  twenty-four  miles  have  been 
covered  in  less  than  six  hours  without  a  halt.  But  our 
comrades  are  in  peril  and  we  must  hasten  to  their  relief. 
Four  miles  beyond  Sanford,  and  only  twenty  from  Leba- 
non, we  reach  Colonel  David  with  the  9th  Cavalry,  and 
the  llth  Michigan  battery,  and  Colonel  David,  being  the 
senior  officer,  assumes  command. 

Advancing  from  this  point  about  9  o'clock  A.  M.,  our 
ears  were  greeted  with  the  booming  of  artillery  in  front 
of  Lebanon.  Full  of  confidence,  and  impatient  as  every 
man  in  the  command  was  to  hurry  on  and  engage  the 
enemy,  the  column  was  halted  and  put  through  various 
maneuvers  of  a  dilatory  character.  As  if  to  add  to  the 
disappointment  and  chagrin  felt  by  the  entire  brigade, 
there  appeared  just  at  this  time  a  courier,  coming  at  a 
rapid  pace,  bearing  a  message  from  General  Carter  ad- 
dressed to  Colonel  David  urging  him  to  hasten  to  the 
relief  of  Colonel  Hanson  at  Lebanon,  as  Morgan's  troops 
had  already  invested  the  town,  and  adding:  "If  support 
does  not  at  once  arrive,  Lebanon  will  be  destroyed  and 
Colonel  Hanson  compelled  to  surrender  the  garrison." 


88  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

It  was  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when  we  came  in  sight 
of  the  doomed  city,  then  in  flames.  Colonel  Hanson  hav- 
ing fought  from  7  in  the  morning  until  1  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  had  surrendered,  when  the  head  of  our  column 
was  not  more  than  three  miles  distant.  The  Federal 
losses  were  six  men  killed  and  fifteen  wounded  in  this 
attack,  those  of  the  enemy  being  much  greater;  but  hav- 
ing exhausted  their  ammunition  and  the  town  being  on 
fire,  surrender  became  inevitable. 

Morgan's  rear  guard,  in  plain  view  almost  within  rifle 
range  and  in  great  disorder,  was  hurrying  out  of  the  town 
when  our  brigade  was  thrown  into  line  of  battle.  Thus 
mounted,  the  men  were  compelled  to  sit  for  over  an  hour 
watching  the  enemy  as  they  passed  out  of  sight.  Here,  if 
properly  commanded,  was  presented  an  opportunity  for 
these  willing  troops  to  have  performed  one  of  the  grandest 
feats  in  the  history  of  Michigan  cavalry.  They  could  have 
at  least  charged  into  the  town  and  captured  the  disorderly 
mob  of  Morgan's  rear  guard;  or  by  a  rapid  march  follow- 
ing a  cross  road,  cut  his  column  in  two,  release  the 
prisoners  just  taken,  and  by  seizing  his  wagons  recapture 
a  vast  amount  of  plunder  taken  from  unoffending  citizens 
at  Lebanon,  and  possibly  have  put  an  end  to  the  raid. 
And  what  added  to  the  peculiar  discomfort,  while  under- 
going this  humiliation  (still  mounted  and  in  line  of  bat- 
tle), there  came  on  a  thunderstorm  of  great  violence,  ac- 
companied by  a  downpour  of  rain  that  drenched  every 
man  to  the  skin.  What  is  said  of  the  proverbial  "wet  hen'' 
expresses  but  feebly  the  feelings  of  the  Michigan  troops 
just  at  this  particular  time.  A  grain  of  comfort  was  felt, 
however,  when  a  section  of  the  battery  unlimbered  and 
gave  the  enemy  a  parting  salute.  Also  a  little  later,  a 
detachment  of  the  8th  Cavalry  occupied  the  town,  and 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  89 

captured  forty  stragglers  whose  discretion  had  been  dulled 
by  an  absorbing  appetite  fc-r  the  standard  Kentucky 
beverage. 

At  8  o'clock  P.  M.  of  that  day,  by  order  of  Colonel 
David,  our  backs  were  turned  to  the  enemy  and  the  brigade 
countermarched  in  the  direction  of  Danville.  At  10 
o'clock,  while  still  on  the  march,  a  courier  overtook  the 
command  with  a  dispatch  from  General  Sturgis,  asking 
what  had  become  of  the  Michigan  troops. 

This  was  on  the  6th,  and  at  12.40  A.  M.  on  the  night 
of  the  7th  there  appeared  on  the  picket  line  of  the  brigade 
at  Danville  a  man  wrapped  in  a  military  cloak,  who  asked 
the  Corporal  of  the  Guard  to  be  directed  to  the  command- 
ing officer.  The  stranger  was  conducted  at  once  to  Colonel 
David,  and  here  introduced  himself  as  Colonel  W.  P. 
Sanders,  of  the  5th  Kentucky  Cavalry  Volunteers  (for- 
merly of  the  regular  army),  and  informed  Colonel  David 
that,  in  compliance  with  orders  direct  from  General  Burn- 
side,  he  would  assume  command  of  the  brigade,  and  that 
the  two  regiments  with  the  battery  should  be  ready  to 
move  in  twenty  minutes.  This  was  a  change  of  front  as 
welcome  to  officers  and  men  as  it  must  have  been  astonish- 
ing to  Colonel  David. 

Colonel  Sanders,  it  is  a  pleasure  to  state  here,  was  an 
officer  who  at  once  inspired  the  esteem  and  confidence  of 
his  men.  He  was  somewhat  above  the  medium  height, 
erect,  with  broad  shoulders  and  a  most  engaging  presence. 
For  distinguished  service  Colonel  Sanders  rose  rapidly  to 
the  rank  of  Brigadier-General,  and  finally  fell,  mortally 
wounded,  in  front  of  Knoxville,  while  encouraging  his  men 
to  repel  the  advance  of  the  enemy  then  about  to  attack 
the  Union  line  of  defenses,  which  were  still  incomplete. 
He  was  carried  from  the  field  and  placed  in  the  bridal 


90  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

chamber  of  the  LaMar  House  in  that  city  (Knoxville), 
where  he  died  the  same  evening.  He  was  buried  at  mid- 
night in  the  Presbyterian  churchyard,  by  the  dim  light 
of  a  lantern,  without  a  military  salute  or  "the  sound  of  a 
drum  or  a  funeral  note."  But  every  shovelful  of  earth 
that  fell  upon  his  mortal  remains  was  moistened  with 
the  tears  of  his  comrades  aiding  in  the  last  sad  rites,  that 
spoke  more  eloquently  of  his  worth  than  sound  of  musket 
or  drum,  or  any  eulogium  that  words  can  pronounce.* 

Within  twenty  minutes  from  the  time  Colonel  Sanders 
reached  the  camp  at  Danville  the  Michigan  brigade  again 
took  up  the  line  of  march.  In  the  dust  and  heat  of  that 
day  the  hamlets  of  McAfee,  Salvisa  and  Herrodsburg  were 
passed,  and  Lawrenceburg  was  reached  at  4  o'clock  P.  M., 
the  brigade  having  made  a  distance  of  47  miles  in  fifteen 
hours. 

There  now  began  throughout  that  portion  of  Kentucky 
a  succession  of  night  raids,  surprises,  marches  and  counter- 
marches, enlivened  with  sharp  and  decisive  combats  of 
small  detachments  (sometimes  almost  hand  to  hand)  that 
would  form  a  very  startling  chapter  if  the  details  were 
given.  Railroad  trains  were  captured,  passengers  robbed 
and  bridges,  mills  and  factories  burned  and  destroyed  by 
the  enemy.  But  they  were  often  surprised  in  this  work 
and  routed  or  captured  by  our  troops,  or  driven  into  the 
streams  and  shot  or  drowned  in  an  endeavor  to  escape. 

Meantime,  by  destroying  the  wires  on  the  line  of  his 
march,  or  by  making  use  of  them  in  sending  counterfeit 


*History  records  the  fact  that  the  gallant  resistance  offered 
by  Colonel  Sanders,  at  the  head  of  700  cavalrymen,  against 
Longstreet's  advance  on  Knoxville  before  its  line  of  defense 
had  been  completed,  saved  that  city  from  capture  and  Burn- 
side's  army  from  defeat. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  91 

dispatches,  Morgan,  with  his  main  column,  was  able  to 
cover  his  tracks  and  mystify  the  Union  authorities  as  to 
his  ultimate  destination  and  purpose.  So,  unimpeded  since 
leaving  Lebanon  on  the  5th,  he  moved  rapidly  to  within  a 
few  miles  of  Louisville,  and  there  suddenly  changed  direc- 
tion to  the  left,  reaching  Brandenburg,  on  the  Ohio  Eiver, 
thirty  miles  below  Louisville,  on  the  7th.  Two  steamboats, 
the  "Alice  Dean"  and  the  "John  T.  McComb,"  bent  on  a 
peaceful  pilgrimage  up  the  river,  unfortunately  arrived 
opposite  Brandenburg  about  the  same  time  as  Morgan. 
Two  or  three  shots  from  one  of  his  Parrott  guns,  uncere- 
moniously thrown  across  their  bows,  was  the  argument 
made  use  of  to  induce  the  two  steamers  to  heave  to  and 
run  in  shore  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  alarm.  Their 
curiosity  was  soon  gratified,  as  both  boats  were  imme- 
diately impressed  into  the  service  and  compelled  to  ferry 
the  raiders  across  the  river.  By  the  evening  of  the  8th 
3,500  of  the  enemy  (horses  and  men),  with  four  pieces  of 
artillery,  had  been  safely  landed 

ON"  THE  INDIANA  SHOES. 

Louisville,  the  objective  point  in  Morgan's  original 
scheme  of  conquest,  had  evidently  been  abandoned;  but 
immediately  in  his  front  lay  the  thriving  cities  of  New 
Albany,  Jeffersonville,  Indianapolis,  Madison,  Lawrence- 
burg  and  Cincinnati,  and  many  other  towns  in  Southern 
Indiana  and  Ohio.  Even  the  people  of  Michigan  were  in 
a  high  state  of  alarm,  as  at  one  time  it  was  thought 
Morgan  might  undertake  to  reach  Detroit,  and,  crossing 
his  command  into  Canada,  there  repose  under  the  protect- 
ing aegis  of  the  British  flag. 

The  gravest  anxiety  had  been  manifested  everywhere 


92  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

from  the  inception  of  the  raid,  but  among  those  charged 
with  the  perplexing  duty  of  bringing  it  to  a  termination,  as 
well  as  by  the  tens  of  thousands  whose  homes  and  property 
were  placed  in  imminent  peril,  the  feeling  of  apprehension 
had  now  reached  the  culminating  point.  The  following 
official  dispatches  will  afford  the  most  comprehensive  view 
of  the  situation  at  this  time.  When  the  fact  is  known 
(as  fact  it  is)  that  more  than  1,000  telegraph  messages 
were  received  and  sent  through  headquarters  at  Cincinnati 
during  the  progress  of  the  raid,  the  importance  attached 
to  it,  and  the  doubt  and  uncertainty  in  which  the  move- 
ments of  the  enemy  were  shrouded,  will  be  better  under- 
stood; for  at  this  time  it  was  believed  the  invasion  was 
only  a  feint  to  cover  a  more  formidable  movement.  The 
dispatches  explain  themselves: 

LOUISVILLE,  July  9,  1863. 
MAJOR  GENERAL  HARTSUFF: 

Morgan  has  crossed  into  Indiana  with  his  force,  and  is  near 
Corydon.  His  object  must  be  to  come  in  behind  New  Albany 
and  Jeffersonville.  My  information  is  that  their  plan  and  ob- 
ject is  to  attack  those  places  and  destroy  public  works.  I  need 
two  or  more  regiments  from  Mumf  ordville  and  beg  they  be  sent 
here  by  rail.  A  gentleman  who  was  induced  to  go  with  Morgan 
to  within  8  miles  of  Brandenburg  stated  their  purpose  was  a 
feint,  and  that  Pegram  and  Buckner  were  to  come  in  after 
them  and  attend  to  Louisville.  I  beg  that  the  forces  be  sent. 
If  you  do  not  think  it  proper  to  withdraw  them  at  all,  are 
there  not  other  forces  which  can  be  sent  here? 

(Signed)  J.  T.  BOYLE, 
Brigadier-General. 

LOUISVILLE,  July  9, 1863. 

9P.M. 
GENERAL  HARTSUFF  : 

I  received  your  dispatch  and  have  sent  troops.  The  citizens 
of  Corydon  resisted  Morgan  and  several  were  killed  in  the 
fight.  Morgan  had  declared  his  intention  was  not  to  come  to 
New  Albany,  but  I  do  not  believe  him.  Hobson  is  crossing  his 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  93 

force.  I  sent  transports  and  gunboats  to  him.  The  people  of 
Indiana  believe  Morgan  will  attack  New  Albany  in  the  morn- 
ing or  to-night.  I  will  offer  best  resistance  I  can  until  Hobson 
arrives. 

(Signed)  J.  T.  BOYLE, 

Brigadier-General. 

Immediately  upon  landing  on  the  opposite  shore  the 
head  of  Morgan's  column  was  turned  northward.  The 
thriving  little  city  of  Corydon,  about  fifteen  miles  in  the 
interior  and  directly  on  the  line  of  march  toward  Indian- 
apolis, was  reached  on  the  9th,  and  proved  to  be  the  first 
to  feel  the  shock  of  the  invasion.  The  citizens  of  Corydon 
gallantly  resisted  Morgan's  attack,  and  several  were  killed 
and  wounded. 

Meantime,  the  Federal  forces  under  General  E.  H.  Hob- 
son,  who  first  overtook  and  engaged  Morgan  at  Marrow- 
bone, Kentucky,  on  the  3d  of  July,  and  who  had  followed 
his  course  from  that  time  forward,  had  arrived  on  the 
bank  of  the  Ohio,  and  while  Morgan  was  plundering  the 
citizens  of  Corydon,  Hobson,  with  2,500  men,  was  crossing 
the  river  at  Brandenburg.  The  dispatch  given  below  will 
explain  the  situation  at  this  juncture: 

INDIANAPOLIS,  July  9,  1863. 
GEN.  BURNSIDE: 

Information  received  here  indicates  that  Morgan  will  march 
into  the  interior  of  Indiana.  Are  there  no  troops  in  Kentucky 
that  can  be  spared  and  sent  to  our  relief? 

(Signed)  0.  P.  MORTON, 
Gov.  of  Indiana. 

While  events  were  transpiring  as  narrated  in  the 
foregoing  pages,  the  warfare  by  small  detachments  in 
the  rear  was  being  prosecuted  with  relentless  energy. 
Morgan  had  already  sustained  many  losses  of  men  and 
officers,  either  killed  or  captured,  and  his  disappoint- 


94 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


ments  must  have  been  great,  chief  among  them  being 
the  relinquishment  of  his  designs  upon  Louisville. 
Besides,  unexpected  to  him,  no  doubt,  his  crossing 
the  river  had  placed  him  in  an  attitude  where  his  own 
safety  and  that  of  his  entire  command  must  be  taken  into 
account.  The  lofty  ambition  that  first  sent  him  forth  in 
quest  of  empire  had  suddenly  dwindled  to  the  bare  hope 
of  avoiding  a  general  engagement  and  making  his  final 
escape  by  recrossing  the  Ohio  into  Kentucky  or  West  Vir- 
ginia, there  to  find  a  hospitable  retreat.  Hobson's  brigade 
was  now  close  upon  his  rear;  a  large  force  of  the  militia 
of  Indiana  and  Ohio  had  been  hurriedly  mustered  to  co- 
operate with  the  troops  for  defense  in  the  interior;  the 
river  from  Paducah  to  Buffington's  Island  was  patrolled 
with  gunboats  and  troopships  that  could  be  made  effective 
at  any  point  where  the  enemy  might  undertake  to  recross, 
and  all  available  cavalry  within  the  department  had  been 
mustered  for  a  supreme  effort  to  head  off  Morgan's  retreat 
and  wear  him  to  a  finish  somewhere  north  of  the  Ohio 
Eiver. 

Accordingly,  the  ''Michigan  Brigade"  at  Lawrenceburg 
at  midnight  on  the  llth  took  up  the  march  by  way  of 
Eminence  and  La  Grange  for  Westpoint  on  the  river,  which 
place  they  reached  24  hours  later,  a  halt  of  four  hours  at 
Eminence  being  the  only  rest  for  men  and  animals  in  a 
73-mile  march  over  very  rough  and  mountainous  country 
roads.  While  at  Westport  Colonel  Sanders  was  intercepted 
by  the  following  dispatch: 

CINCINNATI,  July  11,  1863. 
COL.  SANDERS, 

Eminence. 

It  is  reported  that  Morgan  may  attempt  recross  the  Ohio 
at  either  Westport,  Grassy  Flats,  or  opposite  Bedford.  Keep 
out  scouts  well  in  the  direction  of  Lockport,  Port  Royal,  Bed- 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  95 

ford  and  Westport.  You  can  hire  citizen  scouts  and  pay  them 
well.  Obey  any  orders  that  Gen.  Boyle  may  send  you.  If 
Morgan  attempts  to  cross  at  any  one  of  these  places,  you  ought 
to  be  able  to  whip  him  in  detail.  If  he  succeeds  in  crossing, 
he  may  try  to  cross  Kentucky  River  between  Covington  and 
Lockport,  and  go  out  by  Mount  Stirling,  in  which  case  you 
must  press  him  hard.  I  leave  your  movements  to  your  own 
good  judgment,  to  a  great  extent. 

(Signed)  A.  E.  BURNSIDE. 

To  the  above  Colonel  Sanders  sent  this  reply: 

LA  GRANGE,  July  11,  1863. 
GENERAL  BOYLE: 

I  am  moving  as  fast  as  artillery  can  go.    We  have  marched 
since  12  o'clock  last  night.    Am  taking  horses  where  necessary. 
Will  be  at  the  river  by  10  P.  M.    Have  sent  scouts  as  directed. 
(Signed)  W.  P.  SANDERS, 

Col.  Commanding. 

On  reaching  Westport  it  was  learned  that  Morgan  had 
already  passed  that  point,  moving  in  the  direction  of  Mad- 
ison. Early  on  Sunday  morning,  the  12th,  the  8th  and 
9th  Michigan,  with  the  battery,  in  order  to  gain  time,  were 
embarked  on  transports;  but  on  reaching  Madison  it  was 
learned  the  swift-footed  trooper  had  already  passed,  head- 
ing toward  Cincinnati,  with  Hobson  still 

HOT  UPON  THE  TRAIL. 

The  fact  that  Morgan,  from  the  beginning  of  the  race, 
seems  to  have  passed  just  a  little  ahead  the  point  where 
our  troops  hoped  to  form  a  junction  with  him,  no  doubt 
calls  for  an  explanation. 

In  nautical  parlance  "A  stern  chase  is  a  long  one/'  and, 
as  the  ship,  so  the  cavalry.  The  command  in  the  lead 
takes  the  wind  out  of  the  sails  of  the  one  that  follows. 
Being  ahead,  Morgan  had  first  choice  of  everything 


96  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

needed  to  accelerate  his  march  and  keep  his  men  and 
animals  in  good  heart.  As  both  commands  were  depend- 
ent upon  the  country  for  forage  and  rations,  the  Con- 
federates generally  swept  the  board  of  both.  This  was 
especially  true  as  to  horses  and  forage,  for  what  they 
failed  to  seize  and  appropriate  for  their  immediate  use 
was  carried  away  or  destroyed,  thus  leaving  our  soldiers 
to  drag  out  their  weary  marches  on  animals  frequently 
half  starved,  jaded  and  footsore.  Being  in  loyal  territory, 
our  men,  from  sense  of  patriotic  duty,  were  restrained 
from  taking  indiscriminately  from  the  people,  but  not  so 
with  Morgan,  whose  mission  was  one  of  plunder.  Officers 
of  the  Federal  Army  were  empowered  to  give  receipts  for 
the  value  of  all  property  impressed  for  the  good  of  the 
service,  wherever  found.  Horses  were  valued  at  $90  a 
head,  and  the  farmer  whose  team  had  been  taken  from  the 
pasture,  the  plow  or  the  stable,  could  send  in  his  receipts 
to  the  Quartermaster's  Department,  and  eventually  re- 
ceive $180  in  greenbacks.  Besides,  he  was  authorized  to 
take  up  and  make  use  of  the  wornout  animals  left  behind, 
many  of  which,  with  a  few  days'  rest  and  care,  became 
valuable  again  for  service  on  the  farm.  As  to  the  matter 
of  rations  for  the  men,  no  account  whatever  was  kept  of 
that. 

Throughout  the  States  of  Indiana  and  Ohio,  up  to  the 
hour  of  Morgan's  final  surrender,  and  the  return  of  the 
troops  to  Kentucky,  the  loyal  people  flocked  to  the  road- 
side along  the  line  of  march,  fairly  freighted  with  the 
very  best  their  sumptuous  larders  afforded,  and  urged  it 
upon  the  hungry  troops.  Old  men  and  women,  young  boys 
and  fair  maidens,  vied  with  each  other  in  being  the  first 
to  serve  and  feed  the  Union  soldier.  Their  encouraging 
cheers,  their  expressions  of  gratitude  (often  in  tears)  and 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  97 

their  patriotic  appeals  gave  strength  and  courage  to  our 
men.  And  here,  more  than  ever  before  or  afterwards 
during  the  war,  was  impressed  upon  the  soldier  by  these 
loyal  demonstrations  the  great  importance  of  the  mission 
in  which  the  Union  Army  was  engaged. 

Leaving  Madison,  we  steamed  on  up  the  river,  now  and 
then  disembarking  small  raiding  parties  with  orders  to 
penetrate  the  interior  a  distance  of  ten  or  twelve  miles, 
if  necessary,  in  order  to  keep  a  lookout  on  the  movements 
of  the  enemy.  By  this  means  Morgan  was  found  to  be 
making  all  possible  haste  in  the  direction  of  Lawrence- 
burg  and  Cincinnati.  Among  the  inhabitants  of  the  latter 
place  the  greatest  consternation  now  prevailed,  the  city 
already  being 

UNDER  MAETIAL  LAW. 

At  9  o'clock  that  night,  the  12th,  orders  came  for  our 
command  to  embark  on  transports  for  Cincinnati.  This 
was  done  and  crowding  on  a  full  head  of  steam,  we 
reached  the  latter  place  at  5  that  morning.  The  following 
appeared  in  the  morning  papers,  and  in  large  posters 
throughout  the  city. 

CINCINNATI,  OHIO,  July  12,  1863. 
GENERAL  ORDERS. 

No.  114. 

Martial  law  is  hereby  declared  in  the  cities  of  Cincinnati, 
Covington  and  Newport,  all  business  will  be  suspended  until 
further  orders,  and  all  citizens  will  be  required  to  organize  in 
accordance   with   the   direction   of   the   State    and   municipal 
authorities.     The  commanding  General,  convinced  that  no  one 
whose  services  are  necessary  for  the  defense  of  these  cities 
would  care  to  leave  now,  places  no  restriction  upon  travel. 
By  command  of  Major-General  Burnside. 
(Signed)  LEWIS  RICHMOND, 

Assistant  Adj.  General. 


98  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

The  principal  avenues  of  ingress  and  egress  were 
guarded  by  a  military  patrol,  and  all  horses  available  for 
the  cavalry  and  artillery  were  being  impressed  into  service. 
There  was  a  great  scurrying  among  owners  of  fine  stock, 
placed  between  two  fires  (that  of  the  Federal  authorities 
within  the  city,  and  the  fear  of  Morgan's  troopers  from 
without)  and  they  were  seeking  every  possible  avenue  of 
escape  for  their  petted  animals. 

The  telegraphic  wires  at  General  Burnside's  head- 
quarters, and  those  of  every  division  within  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Army  of  the  Ohio,  that  had  been  kept  warm 
by  day  and  night  from  the  time  the  raid  into  Kentucky 
was  first  announced  were  now  raised  to  a  white  heat  in 
the  dispatch  of  orders  to  the  numerous  commands 
directly  or  indirectly  engaged  in  the  pursuit  and  the  sup- 
posed defense.  Detachments  of  our  command  were 
ordered  to  take  position  on  the  various  roads  leading  into 
Cincinnati  from  the  north  and  west,  there  to  await  further 
developments,  while  mounted  videttes  were  extended  out 
into  the  country  at  a  greater  distance,  to  give  timely 
warning  of  the  enemy's  approach.  Colonel  Sanders,  with 
the  balance  of  the  brigade,  moved  up  the  broad  pike  to 
Avondale,  an  aristocratic  suburban  place  on  the  hill; 
where  they  went  into  camp,  picketing  the  various  roads 
in  that  direction. 

The  Michigan  Brigade  were  now  the  principal  guardians 
of  Cincinnati  with  headquarters  at  Avondale.  Wherever 
garrisoned  there  was  constantly  urged  upon  officers  and 
men  the  most  lavish  hospitality.  Not  a  Government  ration 
was  drawn  or  issued  to  our  troops  during  the  occupation. 
Provisions  were  brought  to  the  camp,  outlying  posts  and 
videttes,  by  wagon-loads,  and  frequently  the  rations  were 
delivered  by  the  fair  hands  that  had  prepared  them. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  99 

Two  companies  were  hurried  out  on  the  road  upon 
which  Morgan's  column  was  supposed  to  be  advancing. 
The  orders  were  to  halt  and  detain  (if  in  the  night)  all 
persons  attempting  to  enter  the  city  who  could  not  give 
a  prompt  and  satisfactory  account  of  themselves.  The 
night  passed  without  incident,  but  just  as  the  day  began 
to  break,  there  was  a  low  rumbling  sound  as  of  wheels, 
heard  in  the  distance  coming  down  the  macadamized  road. 
The  outlying  vidette  called  the  sergeant  of  the  guard;  but 
before  his  arrival  a  vehicle  of  some  kind  appeared  through 
a  dense  fog  that  had  now  set  in.  The  guard,  being  a  re- 
cruit and  somewhat  nervous,  called  out  "Halt!  Who 
comes  there?"  But  no  responsive  answer  being  returned, 
the  challenge  was  repeated  and  followed  by  a  shot  from 
the  soldier's  Spencer  rifle.  Immediately  the  misty  air  of 
that  September  morning  was  rent  by  the  shrill  cry  of  a 
woman,  evidently  in  distress.  This  had  the  effect  of  arous- 
ing the  camp,  and  the  entire  reserve  picket  force  turned 
out  under  arms  in  a  moment.  Meantime,  the  sergeant 
with  the  vidette,  going  forward,  found  a  woman,  with  a 
horse  hitched  to  a  wagon  loaded  with  melons  and  other 
products  of  the  farm  and  garden,  standing  in  the  middle 
of  the  road.  She  had  started  with  her  supplies  for  the 
market,  intent  upon  "catching  the  early  worm."  But 
seeing  the  soldiers  approach,  and  believing  she  had  been 
held  up  by  some  of  Morgan's  raiders  and  was  about  to 
be  robbed,  she  threw  up  her  hands  and  cried  out:  "Oh! 
Mein  Gott  in  Himmel,  vas  is  das!  vas  is  das!"  Being 
voluble  and  excitable,  and  understanding  but  little  Eng- 
lish, it  was  difficult  to  explain  to  her  the  situation.  Mean- 
time, and  what  added  greatly  to  the  old  lady's  consterna- 
tion, the  soldiers  gathered  around  the  wagon,  and  the 
melons  began  to  disappear  like  mist  under  the  rays  of  the 


IOO 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


noonday  sun.  This  fact  seemed  to  have  a  more  irritating 
effect  than  that  of  being  shot  at  by  the  pickets.  But 
finally  a  guard  was  detailed  to  escort  her  through  the 
lines,  and  without  further  annoyance  she  proceeded  on 
her  way. 

Among  the  patriotic  citizens  of  Avondale  most  grate- 
fully remembered  were  the 

GKEENWOODS,  MITCHELLS  AND  DOMINICKS. 

It  was  while  the  command  was  passing  the  residence  of 
Mr.  Mitchell  on  the  march  up  the  road,  in  the  early  morn- 
ing of  the  12th,  that  a  group  of  young  ladies  were  seen 
in  the  garden  by  the  roadside  gathering  raspberries  for 
breakfast.  Waving  their  handkerchiefs,  they  called  out, 
"God  bless  the  boys  in  blue.  Who  are  you?"  "The  Mich- 
igan Brigade,"  was  the  reply.  "Where  are  you  going?" 
"We  are  going  into  camp  on  the  hill  to  guard  the  city 
against  the  approach  of  the  enemy."  "God  bless  the  brave 
soldiers  of  the  Union !"  came  another  salutation  from  the 
young  ladies.  The  camp  had  no  sooner  been  established 
than  Mr.  Mitchell  appeared  upon  the  scene  and  introduced 
himself  by  inviting  Colonel  Sanders  and  the  whole  head- 
quarters staff  to  breakfast.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  add 
that  the  invitation  was  promptly  accepted. 

On  arriving  at  the  Mitchell  residence  the  fact  was  soon 
disclosed  that  the  young  ladies  who  had  first  saluted  the 
passing  brigade  were  the  primary  cause  of  the  invitation 
to  breakfast.  After  a  few  minutes'  conversation,  relating 
mainly  to  the  imminent  danger  that  threatened  the  city, 
the  officers  were  conducted  to  the  dining  room,  where  an 
elegant  breakfast  was  heartily  enjoyed. 

It  is  difficult  to  describe  the  sensations  of  a  soldier  who 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  101 

has  been  for  a  prolonged  period  engaged  in  unremitting,, 
laborious  and  dangerous  service,  when,  temporarily  relieved 
from  duty,  he  is  invited  from  the  ranks  in  soiled  and  dusty 
uniform,  and  seated  at  a  table  laid  with  spotless  linen  and 
spread  with  every  luxury  that  wealth  and  a  lavish  hos- 
pitality can  supply.  This  more  particularly  when  he  is 
served  and  waited  upon  by  a  bevy  of  accomplished  young 
women,  who,  in  sheer  gratitude  for  the  services  he  has 
rendered,  sing  his  praises  and  stand  ready  to  strew  his 
pathway  with  roses.  Glorious  services!  Most  glorious 
reward!  If  there  is  a  man  still  living  who  belonged  to 
that  command  and  was  the  recipient  of  those  gracious 
favors  (and  thousands  of  them  were  in  that  tedious  march 
through  Indiana  and  Ohio)  and  is  not  a  better  citizen  for 
the  experience  there  gained,  it  is  to  be  regretted  he  was  not 
early  in  the  engagement  numbered  with  the  missing. 

The  breakfast  over,  the  folding  doors  were  thrown  open 
and  the  Misses  Cochran  (two  of  the  charming  young  hos- 
tesses) sang  with  piano  accompaniment  <rWhen  This  Cruel 
War  Is  Over/'  a  song  much  in  vogue  at  that  time,  but  then 
heard  for  the  first  time  by  our  soldiers.  Before  the  song 
had  ended  some  of  the  officers  were  seen  to  turn  aside,  in 
pretense  of  brushing  away  a  fly  or  the  offending  dust,  but 
in  fact  to  hide  the  tears  that  were  coursing  unbidden  down 
their  bronzed  faces. 

From  time  to  time  throughout  the  day  we  were  in  receipt 
of  reports  by  courier  from  General  Burnside,  giving  infor- 
mation of  Morgan's  movements,  so  far  as  could  be  definitely 
learned.  Shortly  before  the  hour  of  noon  Mr.  Dominick, 
also  a  resident  of  Avondale,  appeared  at  brigade  head- 
quarters and  cordially  invited  the  staff  to  dine  with  him, 
fixing  the  hour  at  1  P.  M.  Here,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
breakfast,  no  second  invitation  was  needed,  and,  arriving 


102 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


promptly  on  schedule  time  at  the  residence  of  the  host, 
the  officers  were  agreeably  surprised  to  find  among  the 
guests  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Mitchell  (who  had  graciously  enter- 
tained them  in  the  morning),  accompanied  by  the  five 
young  ladies,  whose  presence  lent  such  a  charm  to  the 
breakfast  hour.  At  Mr.  Dominick's  new  songs  were  in- 
cluded in  the  repertory  of  these  entertaining  friends,  and 
the  old  songs  were  repeated  with  added  spirit  and  grace. 

The  brief  respite  enjoyed  in  these  hospitable  homes,  the 
cheerful  smiles  and  warm-hearted  greetings,  brought 
vividly  to  mind  the  faces  of  loved  ones  far  away,  the  fire- 
sides left  behind  and  the  glad  welcome  that  awaited  us 
there.  At  last,  compelled  to  say  good-bye  and  passing 
down  the  road  out  of  sight,  there  came  once  more  from 
the  Dominick  residence  the  faint  receding  echoes  of  "When 
This  Cruel  War  Is  Over."  On  reaching  camp  a  beautiful 
bouquet  of  flowers  was  found  at  headquarters  "From  the 
Ladies  of  Cincinnati  to  the  Officers  and  Men  of  the  Mich- 
igan Brigade,"  and  at  4  o'clock  that  afternoon  the  brigade 

AGAIN  TOOK  UP  THE  MAECH. 

Morgan,  thinking  discretion  the  better  part  of  valor, 
as  in  the  case  of  Louisville,  had  given  up  his  designs  on 
Cincinnati,  and,  leaving  that  city  to  the  right,  made  rapid 
strides  in  the  direction  of  Camp  Dennison,  which  place 
he  reached  early  in  the  morning.  To  this  place  Colonel 
Sanders  was  ordered  to  hasten  his  troops,  and  there  report 
to  General  Hobson,  still  hovering  close  on  Morgan's  rear. 
Our  march  that  night  led  out  by  the  way  of  Montgomery, 
twelve  miles  to  the  northeast  from  Cincinnati,  and  there 
communication  by  courier  was  had  with  General  Hobson, 
who  ordered  the  brigade  to  take  the  advance,  and,  pressing 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  103 

closely  on  Morgan's  right  flank,  prevent  him  from  turning 
to  the  Ohio  Kiver,  then  in  a  low  stage  of  water  and  offer- 
ing good  facilities  for  fording.  The  command  marched, 
scouted  and  reconnoitered  the  roads  on  both  flanks  that 
night,  reaching  Camp  Shady,  near  Camp  Dennison,  at  2 
o'clock  the  morning  of  the  14th,  where  a  halt  was  made 
for  two  hours.  It  was  no  more  than  fairly  daylight, 
however,  when  the  column  was  again  in  motion,  and  for  the 
two  succeeding  days  this  order  of  march  was  continued, 
halting  each  morning  at  2  o'clock  for  two  hours'  rest. 
Thus  about  six  hours  had  been  given  to  the  men  and 
horses  for  feed,  rest  and  sleep  out  of  sixty-two  hours  of 
continuous  marching. 

Meantime  the  general  direction  had  been  to  the  east- 
ward, keeping  close  on  the  right  flank  of  the  enemy.  More 
than  a  score  of  thriving  towns  and  villages  had  been 
included  in  the  itinerary.  Throughout  that  portion  of 
the  march  accomplished  by  daylight  there  had  been  one 
continuous  ovation  by  the  people,  and  frequently  their 
demonstrations  of  gratitude  and  patriotic  joy  enlivened  the 
tedious  journey  far  into  the  night.  By  the  roadside  tem- 
porary tables  and  platforms  were  erected,  and  the  thrifty 
housewives  of  Southern  Ohio  had  loaded  them  with  the 
delicacies  of  the  season  and  the  more  substantial  products 
of  the  farm  and  garden.  These  were  urged  upon  the 
troops  in  such  quantities  that  they  sometimes  became  sa- 
tiated and  unable  to  partake  any  further  of  this  generous 
hospitality.  Elegant  young  women  who  had  prepared  with 
their  own  hands  a  tempting  dish  were  often  heard  to 
make  personal  appeals  to  a  soldier  (already  surfeited)  to 
"just  taste"  of  their  pie  or  cake,  as  the  case  might  be, 
and  they  would  then  be  satisfied.  Bevies  of  young  women, 
and  children  with  waving  banners,  singing  "Eally  'Bound 


104  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

the  Flag/'  greeted  the  soldiers  in  every  village  and  hamlet. 
In  short,  the  people  turned  out  en  masse,  not  to  see  the 
"passing  regiment"  decked  out  in  the  pomp  and  splendor 
of  a  holiday  parade,  but  they  came  rather  to  express  their 
gratitude  to  these  bronzed  veterans  for  services  rendered 
in  upholding  the  flag  of  the  Union,  and  in  defending 
their  homes  and  firesides. 

But  Morgan  in  the  lead,  meantime,  is  levying  contribu- 
tions, plundering  the  inhabitants  and  burning  the  mills 
and  factories  of  those  refusing  to  accede  to  his  demands. 
For  miles  on  either  flank  the  country  is  stripped  of  horses, 
and  his  own  wornout  animals  by  scores  are  found  dazed 
and  stupefied  by  the  roadside.  Our  own  mounts  are  in 
a  pitiable  condition,  and  their  depleted  ranks  need  filling 
every  hour  in  the  day  and  night,  but  fresh  ones  are  seldom 
to  be  found.  Farmers  who  had  already  been  compelled 
to  give  up  their  stock  frequently  came  to  the  command, 
and  in  tears  prayed  for  protection  against  the  further 
ravages  of  the  invader. 

On  a  Sunday  some  of  the  troops  chanced  to  meet  a 
farmer  driving  a  fine  team,  accompanied  by  his  dutiful 
wife,  on  their  way  to  church.  Two  of  the  battery  horses 
were  about  to  collapse,  and  the  old  gentleman  was  told 
that,  waiving  all  scruples  of  the  day  and  the  sacredness  of 
his  mission,  he  would  be  asked  to  "swap"  horses.  To  this 
consent  was  finally  given,  and  the  country-bred  bays, 
turned  from  their  pious  pilgrimage,  were  hastily  togged 
out  with  the  habiliments  of  war,  while  the  jaded  old  bat- 
tery team,  no  doubt  rejoicing  in  this  sudden  change  of 
front,  were  quietly  driven  to  church. 

About  9  o'clock  the  following  night  the  troops  were  com- 
pelled to  cross  a  stream  by  a  deep,  rocky  ford  having  high 
and  precipitous  banks.  Standing  on  a  rock  that  projected 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  105 

far  out  into  the  stream  was  a  young  woman  holding  a 
lantern.  Its  dim  light  disclosed  a  pale  and  anxious  face, 
and  features  of  more  than  ordinary  beauty.  In  reply  to  a 
question  from  one  of  our  men  the  young  woman  said  she 
was  "lighting  the  soldier  boys  to  glory  and  to  victory." 

The  succeeding  days  up  to  the  18th  were  but  a  repeti- 
tion of  what  has  already  been  related.  The  command  has 
now  passed  through  the  towns  of  Batavia,  Sardinia  and 
Winchester,  and  has  arrived  at  Jackson,  where  communi- 
cation is  had  with  General  Judah,  commanding  the  gun- 
boats on  the  Ohio  Eiver,  and  also  with  General  Hobson 
on  the  left.  At  this  point  a  consultation  is  held  with  the 
brigade  commanders  and  the  staff  officers  of  General  Judah, 
and  it  is  decided  to  make  a  united  effort  to  drive  Morgan 
to  the  river,  near 

BUFFINGTON'S  ISLAND. 

General  Judah  was  to  crowd  on  all  possible  steam  and 
place  his  gunboats  around  the  bend  in  the  river  behind 
the  island,  while  the  cavalry  pressed  them  in  the  rear  and 
on  the  flanks.  Accordingly,  the  Michigan  Brigade  marched 
all  that  day  and  night  (a  distance  of  45  miles),  reaching 
Chester  early  Sunday  morning,  the  19th,  and  there,  sure 
enough,  our  advance  struck  Morgan's  rear  guard,  his  front 
already  being  engaged  with  the  forces  under  General 
Judah,  who  had  disembarked  and  were  defending  the  ford 
at  Buffington's  Bar.  The  troops  were  joined  here  by  a 
detachment  of  the  2d  and  7th  Ohio  Cavalry,  who  were 
at  once  deployed  as  skirmishers,  while  the  8th  and  9th 
Michigan  formed  line  of  battle,  and,  marching  under  cover 
of  a  strip  of  timber,  awaited  the  signal  for  a  charge.  It 
was  now  5  o'clock ;  the  sun  of  that  peaceful  Sabbath  morn- 


106  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

ing  had  just  risen,  and,  like  a  flashlight  on  the  camera, 
revealed  the  entire  field,  photographing  upon  memory  this 
grand  spectacle  of  war.  The  enemy  had  now  faced  about 
and  formed  three  lines  of  battle,  mounted  and  in  plain 
view  on  ground  sloping  to  the  front.  Their  artillery  was 
playing  upon  the  gunboats  then  steaming  around  the  bend 
behind  the  island.  The  llth  Michigan  Battery  was  located 
in  the  center  between  the  two  regiments,  one  section  of 
which  had  already  gained  a  position  on  a  high  hill  and 
opened  fire.  This  was  to  be  the  signal  for  a  general 
advance. 

New  life  and  vigor  now  seemed  to  have  been  enthused 
into  the  jaded  men  and  horses  of  the  brigade,  as  through 
the  plowed  field,  over  rocks,  ditches  and  fences  the  rush 
began.  Volley  after  volley  was  poured  into  the  enemy, 
and  their  lines,  already  wavering,  soon  broke  into  a  rout. 
This  gave  fresh  impetus  to  the  Federal  troops,  who  pressed 
them  so  closely  that  one  line  of  battle,  with  their  artillery, 
was  driven  over  an  embankment  thirty  feet  high,  and  there 
captured. 

For  more  than  a  mile  the  pursuit  was  kept  up.  The 
ground  over  which  the  enemy  passed  was  strewn  with 
every  conceivable  form  of  wearing  apparel,  including 
articles  of  the  toilet  and  fancy  goods  for  women  and  chil- 
dren; even  baby  shoes  and  stockings  were  found  among 
the  plunder.  A  wagon-load  of  pistols  and  shotguns,  en- 
tirely new,  taken  from  the  thrifty  merchants  of  Indiana 
and  Ohio,  might  have  been  gathered  in  an  hour's  time. 
Fearing  the  consequence  of  capture,  having  in  possession 
these  articles  not  contraband  of  war,  they  had  thought- 
fully disposed  of  them  in  anticipation  of  the  final  hour 
of  surrender.  A  courier  had  meantime  been  dispatched 
to  Generals  Schackleford  and  Welford  on  the  left,  urging 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  107 

them  to  close  in  and  press  the  enemy  with  all  possible 
vigor  from  that  quarter;  and  in  response  they  moved  up 
promptly  and  began  a  vigorous  attack.  The  Ohio  River, 
with  General  Judah's  gunboats,  was  in  the  enemy's  front, 
while  they  were  completely  surrounded  from  the  land  side 
by  Federal  cavalry,  who  were  dogging  their  flanks  and 
rear  like  hounds  on  the  lagging  quarry. 

With  broken  columns,  seeking  cover  in  strips  of  timber, 
gulches  and  ravines,  and  remorselessly  pressed  from  every 
quarter,  they  soon  began  to  surrender.  Colonel  Basil 
Duke,  the  ranking  officer  among  the  captured,  being  cut 
off  with  a  small  detachment  and  surrounded  on  all  sides, 
surrendered  to  Sergeant  C.  F.  Boke,  of  Company  "B,"  9th 
Michigan  Cavalry.  Colonel  Springer,  with  575  men, 
horses  and  equipments,  surrendered  to  the  8th  Michigan. 
On  the  extreme  left  Colonel  "Dick"  Morgan,  a  brother  of 
the  Chief,  surrendered  to  Colonel  Wolford.  And  thus,  by 
regiment,  brigade  and  division,  the  ranks  of  Morgan's 
dreaded  invaders  melted  away.  About  2,300  officers  and 
men,  with  ammunition,  horses  and  equipments,  including 
three  guns,  were  captured. 

The  marching  for  many  days  and  nights  had  been  con- 
tinuous, including  a  distance  from  Cincinnati  of  250  miles. 
The  heat  of  the  summer  was  intense,  the  country  every- 
where dry  and  parched,  and  men  and  animals  of  both  com- 
mands were  suffering  intensely  for  water,  rest  and  sleep. 
A  fellow-feeling  sometimes  makes  us  wondrous  kind,  and 
the  men  soon  began  to  fraternize.  The  limpid  waters  of 
the  Ohio  were  but  a  few  yards  distant,  and  when  the  ad- 
journment for  twenty  minutes  was  had  for  all  hands  to 
repair  to  that  stream  to  wash,  the  feeling  of  fraternity 
often  became  one  of  cordiality.  And  over  all  a  great 
sense  of  relief  was  felt  that  for  the  moment  at  least,  there 


io8  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

was  concord  among  these  warring  elements.  The  Michi- 
gan Brigade  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Sanders,  had 
now  fairly  redeemed  itself  from  the  miserable  fiasco  at 
Lebanon. 

Colonel  Sanders,  himself  a  Kentuckian,  had  many 
friends  in  Morgan's  command,  and  was  frequently  heard 
to  call  out,  "Hello,  Jim,  Tom  or  Dick,"  as  one  after 
another  of  his  old  friends,  now  prisoners  of  war,  appeared 
upon  the  scene.  Addressing  Colonel  Wormer,  of  the  8th 
Michigan  (both  officers  being  on  foot),  Colonel  Sanders 
said,  "Colonel,  walk  up  the  line  with  me."  Presently 
he  inquired  for  Richard  Gutheridge,  and  was  told  that 
Gutheridge  could  be  found  a  little  further  along,  washing 
himself  on  the  banks  of  the  river.  A  young  man  stand- 
ing knee-deep  in  the  water  and  splashing  it  over  his  face 
and  neck  was  soon  discovered  by  Colonel  Sanders,  who 
called  out,  "Hello,  Richard,  what  are  you  doing  here?" 
Gutheridge  answered,  "I  suppose  you  ought  to  know, 
Colonel."  "When  did  you  hear  from  home  last,  Dick?" 
continued  the  Colonel.  "Not  for  a  long  time,  we  have 
been  going  too  fast  the  past  month  or  more,  for  the 
United  States  mail  to  keep  up  with  us."  "Have  you  any 
money,  Dick?"  continued  the  Colonel.  Upon  this 
(Richard  replying  in  the  negative),  Colonel  Sanders  took 
a  roll  of  greenbacks  from  his  pocket  and  handed  it  to  him. 
On  being  asked  who  this  young  man  was,  in  whom  he 
seemed  to  take  so  much  interest,  Colonel  Sanders  re- 
plied, "That  is  a  brother  of  the  young  lady  to  whom  I 
am  engaged  to  be  married." 

This  victory  would  seem  to  have  been  complete,  but 
alas!  it  was  discovered  when  too  late  to  mend,  that  the 
wily  chieftain  himself,  under  cover  of  the  darkness,  had 
again 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  109 

SLIPPED  THROUGH  THE  FEDERAL  LINES. 

Pushing  on  into  the  interior  of  Ohio,  when  next  heard 
from  he  was  winding  his  way  to  the  northward  with  about 
800  men.  To  intercept  and  cut  him  off  somewhere  on  the 
march,  General  Schackleford,  at  the  head  of  a  small  com- 
mand, is  shipped  hy  rail  direct  to  Steubenville.  Disem- 
barking there,  it  is  learned  that  Morgan  is  endeavoring 
to  effect  a  crossing  below  Wheeling.  Upon  receipt  of  this 
intelligence  a  detachment  under  Major  Rue  at  once 
started  by  rail  for  that  point.  But  Morgan,  through  the 
assistance  of  sympathizing  friends,  learning  of  this  move- 
ment, again  changed  his  course  and,  retrograding  to  the 
interior,  again  pushed  northward.  The  next  move  of 
Major  Rue's  command  brought  them  by  rail  to  Shanghi 
Landing,  about  twenty  miles  above  Steubenville.  It  is 
now  Sunday,  the  26th.  We  are  in  one  of  the  northeastern- 
most  counties  of  the  State  of  Ohio,  and  the  climax  is 
hourly  expected.  A  citizen  runner  from  the  interior 
brings  the  intelligence  that  Morgan's  column,  still  head- 
ing northward,  is  not  more  than  six  miles  distant.  Again 
the  march  is  taken  up;  small  detachments  scouting  the 
crossroads  and  bridle  paths  from  right  to  left,  in  an  en- 
deavor to  locate  the  quarry. 

The  loyalty  and  hospitality  of  the  citizens  of  Indiana 
and  Ohio  have  been  dwelt  upon  elsewhere,  but  in  addition 
to  this,  the  local  troops  or  State  militia  rendered  valuable 
assistance  at  various  stages  of  the  invasion;  but  like  un- 
trained men  everywhere,  their  movements  when  left  to 
themselves  were  not  always  in  strict  accord  with  army 
regulations.  The  feeling  among  the  citizens  was  at  a  fever 
heat,  for  it  was  not  known  at  what  hour  nor  on  what  road 
Morgan,  or  detachments  of  his  band,  might  appear. 


no 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


At  this  time  a  small  detachment  was  detailed  to  pro- 
ceed to  a  certain  crossing  on  the  Highlandtown  road,  a 
hamlet  about  six  miles  distant,  to  learn  if  the  enemy  had 
been  seen  in  that  direction.  The  orders  were  to  go  and 
return  to  the  command  with  all  possible  haste.  We 
dashed  through  the  country  on  the  gallop,  and  dusty 
and  travel-stained  as  we  were,  the  people  by  the  roadside 
could  hardly  distinguish  us  from  the  enemy.  Frequently 
men,  women  and  children,  on  our  approach,  were  seen 
skipping  out  at  the  back  door  and  down  through  the 
garden  into  the  cornfield  or  timber  beyond;  often  bare- 
headed and  coatless,  and  never  looking  back  to  learn 
whether  they  were  pursued  or  not. 

On  nearing  the  place  of  our  destination  we  found  that 
pickets,  consisting  of  volunteer  citizens  armed  with  good 
muskets,  had  been  stationed  out  on  the  road  a  distance 
of  a  mile  or  more,  to  watch  for  Morgan's  column,  with 
the  expectation  of  giving  them  a  warm  reception  when 
they  came.  On  first  coming  in  sight  of  one  of  these 
posts  (we  were  going  at  a  lively  gallop,  and  in  blissful 
ignorance  of  an  armed  force  in  our  immediate  front)  when 
bang!  bang!  bang!  went  three  or  four  shots  (apparently 
aimed  at  the  ambient  air,  for  none  of  them  came  near 
us)  and,  looking  up,  a  half  dozen  men  with  smoking  guns 
were  seen  running  for  the  timber  on  either  side  of  the 
road.  Continuing  our  course,  going  by  on  the  lope,  the 
direction  of  their  retreat  was  traceable  from  the  sound 
of  crackling  brush  as  they  disappeared  in  the  timber  a 
half  mile  distant. 

In  rejoining  the  command  from  this  scout,  we  met  two 
citizens  on  horseback  (Harbaugh  and  Sterling  by  name) 
coming  at  full  speed,  with  the  intelligence  that  Morgan 
had  been  attacked  that  morning  near  Salineville  by  a 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  «' 

detachment  of  the  9th  Michigan  under  Major  Way,  who 
had  cut  them  in  two,  capturing  about  three  hundred  men; 
that  Morgan  himself,  who  was  traveling  in  a  covered  rig, 
taken  from  a  citizen  somewhere  on  his  route,  had  barely 
escaped  by  cutting  a  horse  loose  from  the  carriage  and 
riding  away  barebacked;  and  that  the  remnant  of  his 
command  (about  three  hundred  strong)  was  near  Gavers 
on  a  road  leading  to  West  Point  and  the  Ohio  River. 

Taking  Harbaugh  for  a  guide,  we  struck  a  crossroad, 
by  which  some  distance  was  saved,  and  soon  fell  in  the 
rear  of  Major  Rue's  column,  then  hurrying  forward  to  in- 
tercept Morgan  at  a  crossing  a  mile  or  two  yet  ahead. 
Looking  across  to  the  west  and  north,  the  cloud  of  dust 
raised  by  the  retreating  Confederates  was  plain  to  be 
seen,  and  they  of  course  could  see  our  dust  as  well.  Their 
road  ran  directly  east,  while  ours  intersected  it,  running 
north  and  south.  To  be  the  first  to  reach  the  junction  of 
the  two  roads  was  the  goal  for  which  both  commands  were 
now  striving.  Our  animals,  already  on  the  verge  of  col- 
lapse, were  urged  forward  under  whip  and  spur,  and  the 
two  columns  of  dust  rapidly  drew  together.  To  be  the 
first  at  the  crossing  meant  for  us,  beside  a  temporary 
respite,  the  end  of  the  raid,  and 

MORGAN'S  FINAL  CAPTURE. 

For  him  and  the  remnant  of  his  command  it  meant  final 
escape  through  the  mountainous  regions  of  West  Virginia, 
among  friends  and  sympathizers,  who  would  bid  him  God- 
speed on  his  way  to  rejoin  the  Confederate  Army  in  Ten- 
nessee. 

As  we  neared  the  junction  of  the  roads  the  country  was 
more  open  and  level,  and  at  times  the  two  forces  were 


112 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


visible  to  each  other.  The  last  final  effort  was  here  put 
forth,  and  our  column,  under  Major  Rue,  had  barely 
reached  the  crossing  and  wheeled  into  line  facing  the 
enemy  when  the  head  of  their  command  came  in  sight 
over  a  ridge  not  more  than  three  hundred  yards  distant. 

The  great  raid  was  now  at  an  end.  Seeing  our  troops 
in  line  ready  to  receive  them,  white  handkerchiefs  and 
strips  of  white  linen  were  swung  in  the  air, 

IN  TOKEN  OF  SURRENDER 

Not  a  gun  was  fired.  The  officers  were  allowed  to  keep 
their  side  arms  and  personal  effects,  and  after  all  the 
guns  and  pistols  were  stacked  in  a  body  and  a  guard  placed 
over  them,  the  men  of  both  sides  mingled  without  restraint. 
Soon  retiring  to  a  near-by  farmhouse  (Patterson's)  where 
water  was  plenty,  Morgan  and  his  officers,  with  our  own, 
indulged  in  bountiful  libations  of  that  refreshing  beverage, 
taken  from  the  northeast  corner  of  the  well.  Then  lying 
down  on  the  grass,  guards  and  prisoners  for  more  than  an 
hour  slept  in  one  common  bed. 

This  sudden  collapse  and  surrender,  without  firing  a 
gun,  came  as  a  surprise  to  the  Union  troops,  but  the  secret 
was  soon  explained  when  Morgan  came  forward  declaring 
he  had  already  surrendered  to  James  Burbick,  a  citizen 
whom  he  had  impressed  and  was  taking  with  him  as  a 
guide;  but  this  pretended  surrender  to  an  individual  with- 
out a  command  (and  he  a  prisoner)  was  a  proposition 
Major  Rue  could  not  entertain. 

At  this  juncture  General  Shackleford,  in  command  of 
all  the  Union  forces,  came  up,  when  the  unconditional 
surrender  demanded  from  the  first  by  Major  Rue  was 
agreed  upon.  With  the  exception  of  the  two  companies 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  113 

of  the  8th  Michigan  (Companies  F  and  L),  commanded  by 
Lieutenants  N.  S.  Boyanton  and  James  M.  Wells,  respec- 
tively, the  Union  troops  present  at  this  surrender  were  all 
Kentuckians.  The  leaders  of  each  command,  as  well  as 
many  of  the  soldiers,  had  known  each  other  from  boyhood, 
and  friendly  greetings  were  exchanged  all  around. 

From  the  time  of  Morgan's  first  appearance  in  Kentucky 
the  interminable  chase  had  been  kept  up  throughout  the 
entire  breadth  of  three  States,  the  distance  covered  aggre- 
gating twelve  hundred  miles.  Scarcely  a  Government 
ration  for  man  or  beast  had  been  drawn  during  the  time, 
both  armies  depending  upon  the  country  for  subsistence. 
The  march  of  the  two  columns  throughout  Kentucky, 
Indiana  and  Ohio  had  been  like  a  "besom  of  destruction." 
The  smokehouses  and  chicken  coops  of  the  thrifty  farmers 
along  the  route  had  been  especially  marked  for  devastation. 
Horses  were  taken  alike  from  the  stable,  the  carriage  and 
the  plow;  and  often  saddles,  bridles,  blankets  and  like 
equipments  went  with  them.  In  the  various  assaults  made 
by  Morgan  upon  unoffending  citizens,  some  thirteen  had 
been  killed  or  wounded,  and  no  good  on  earth  to  him  or 
anybody  else  had  been  accomplished. 

As  soon  as  transportation  could  be  had,  the  officers  and 
men  captured  were  shipped  from  Salineville  (the  nearest 
railroad  station)  to  Camp  Douglas,  in  Chicago,  and  other 
military  prisons.  The  chieftain  and  his  staff  were  sent  to 
the  State  penitentiary  at  Columbus.  It  was  claimed  by 
the  Confederates  at  the  time,  and  by  their  sympathizers 
at  the  North,  that  Morgan  was  there  treated  as  a  common 
felon,  but  that  is  not  true.  He  and  his  officers  were  kept 
in  rooms  apart  from  other  prisoners,  and  were  taken  out 
regularly  twice  a  day  for  exercise  and  fresh  air  while 
there  confined.  Their  treatment  by  the  Federals  was, 


1 14  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

therefore,  much  more  humane  and  considerate  than  that 
received  by  the  Union  soldiers  in  the  hands  of  the  Southern 
Confederacy. 

The  troops  remaining  behind  now  moved  out  to  the 
river,  and,  while  awaiting  transportation  to  Cincinnati  and 
Covington  by  rail,  took  up  headquarters  at 

STEUBENVILLE. 

The  hospitality  which  had  been  so  bountifully  bestowed 
upon  all  since  the  beginning  of  the  raid  was  continued 
at  this  place.  We  had  been  a  whole  month  by  day  and 
night  traveling  through  the  hot  dust  of  summer,  or  wallow- 
ing in  the  mud,  as  was  sometimes  the  case,  without  oppor- 
tunity for  a  change  of  clothing  or  an  application  of  soap 
and  water.  Taking  heed  of  our  conditions  the  citizens  of 
Steubenville  contributed,  without  stint,  shoes,  undercloth- 
ing, towels  and  other  articles,  and  opened  wide  the  gates. 
In  their  front  yards  tables  were  spread  with  what,  to  a 
hungry  soldier,  seemed  to  embrace  the  very  best  of  the 
good  things  of  this  world.  But  to  all  this  the  presence  of 
young  women  presiding  and  anticipating,  as  they  seemed 
to  do,  every  wish,  added  a  three-fold  charm. 

Mr.  Joseph  Wells,  an  old  resident  of  the  place  and  a 
namesake  of  the  writer,  came  to  our  camp  one  day,  intro- 
duced himself,  and  in  a  conversation  that  ensued  the  con- 
clusion was  reached  that  a  distant  relationship  between  us 
existed,  whereupon  an  invitation  was  extended  to  visit  him 
at  his  home,  an  aristocratic  suburban  place  on  the  bluffs. 
To  this  consent  was  reluctantly  given,  for,  however  stout- 
hearted one  might  be  in  the  performance  of  the  duties  of 
a  soldier,  the  services  in  which  we  were  then  engaged  were 
not  well  calculated  to  give  one  ease  and  confidence  in  the 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  115 

drawing-room.  But  the  evening  passed  off  pleasantly  and 
without  serious  blunders,  as  far  as  I  was  able  to  discern, 
and  when  the  hour  for  retiring  came  the  host  lighted  me 
to  my  chamber.  After  throwing  down  the  covers  and 
removing  the  "shams"  (it  was  an  old-fashioned  feather 
bed),  he  wished  me  good  night  and  pleasant  dreams  and 
retired  from  the  room.  After  assuring  myself  that  the 
door  was  closed  and  my  movements  would  no  longer  be 
observed,  I  approached  the  bed  with  its  spotless  linen 
covers  in  some  trepidation,  and,  pressing  downward  from 
the  top,  my  arm  sank  into  its  billowy  folds  up  to  my 
shoulder.  A  pile  of  rocks  or  rails  to  keep  from  the  water 
beneath,  and  a  poncho  to  ward  off  the  descending  moisture 
had  often  been  my  bed  and  only  shelter  for  weeks  and 
months,  and  it  occurred  to  me  I  would  never  be  able  to 
adapt  myself  to  a  bed  like  the  one  before  me  and  obtain  a 
night's  rest.  But  not  wishing  to  arouse  the  suspicion  of 
my  hospitable  friends,  or  in  any  manner  shock  their  sense 
of  propriety,  I  undressed,  jumped  in  and  immediately  sank 
out  of  sight;  but  after  rolling  over  a  couple  of  times  to 
"muss  it  up,"  I  arose,  and,  taking  one  of  the  covers, 
spread  it  on  the  carpet,  and  with  my  coat  for  a  pillow 
laid  quietly  down  and  slept  soundly  till  morning. 

During  our  stay  at  Steubenville  the  farmers  from  the 
outlying  districts  through  which  the  troops  had  passed 
came  pouring  in  to  air  their  grievances  and  ask  for  com- 
pensation for  property  taken  from  them  "for  the  good 
of  the  service."  Others,  more  grateful,  came  with  their 
wives  and  daughters  to  meet  and  thank  the  soldiers  for  the 
great  deliverance  wrought  by  them.  One  old  farmer,  a 
German,  with  his  daughter  (a  girl  about  seventeen  years 
old,  having  a  carroty  complexion  and  one  of  those  peculiar 
female  figures  in  which  it  is  difficult  to  tell  where  the 


n6  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

waist  begins  and  leaves  off),  understanding  these  jolly 
soldiers  were  also  bachelors,  proposed  to  make  a  supreme 
sacrifice  on  the  altar  of  his  adopted  country  and  turn  his 
only  daughter  over  "to  wife"  to  any  one  of  them,  should 
he  wish  to  embrace — the  opportunity.  There  being  no 
great  rivalry  apparent  in  coming  forward  to  take  advan- 
tage of  his  generous  offer,  the  father  himself  finally  settled 
upon  a  modest  officer  as  being  the  one,  in  his  judgment, 
well  suited  for  the  hand  of  his  daughter.  So  without  con- 
sulting the  feelings  of  the  officer  in  question,  he  led  the 
girl  up,  and,  placing  her  hand  in  that  of  the  man  of  his 
choice  (holding  the  two  together  with  the  grip  of  a  lion), 
he  said:  "Got  bless  you,  mein  schilderns,  I  geef  her  to 
you,  ain't  it?"  The  young  officer,  blushing  and  in  a  halt- 
ing voice  tried  to  explain  that  he  did  not  care  for  another 
matrimonial  venture,  and  it  was  with  the  greatest  difficulty 
he  finally  convinced  the  old  gentleman  that  he  already 
had  a  wife  and  children  at  home. 

A  sufficient  number  of  cars  having  been  obtained  to 
accommodate  the  troops  in  waiting,  a  train  was  made  up 
in  two  sections  and  started  for  Cincinnati.  There  still 
being  no  Government  rations  in  sight,  a  small  town  through 
which  the  soldiers  were  to  pass  was  asked  by  telegraph  if 
it  -could  furnish  a  luncheon,  naming  the  number  of  men 
in  one  section  of  the  train,  and  the  adjoining  town,  a  short 
distance  beyond,  was  requested  to  feed  as  many  more. 
Assurance  was  given  in  each  case  that  a  sufficient  amount 
of  provisions  would  be  forthcoming,  and  on  our  arrival 
at  the  first  station  the  people  were  out  en  masse,  with 
more  than  enough  rations  to  feed  the  entire  command,  and 
the  soldiers  of  both  sections,  after  filling  themselves  to 
repletion,  were  urged  to  take  more. 

Eeluctantly  bidding  these  people  good-bye,  the  next  town 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  117 

was  soon  reached,  when  lo !  and  behold !  the  entire  plat- 
form extending  around  the  railroad  station  was  loaded 
with  good  things  to  eat.  But  alas!  the  hungry  men  who 
sought  the  board  at  Station  No.  1,  where,  oh  where,  were 
they?  Every  effort  to  bring  them  up  at  the  extemporized 
tables  failed.  They  could  no  longer  be  held  in  rank,  and 
the  people,  it  was  plain  to  be  seen,  were  sorely  disap- 
pointed. Handsome  young  women  who  had  prepared  the 
tempting  dishes  besought  the  men  to  "just  bite  off  one 
little  piece."  It  is  a  poor  soldier  who  would  not  undertake 
to  "bite  off"  a  piece  under  such  an  appeal  as  that,  and 
they  did.  With  spasmodic  efforts  at  swallowing  they 
sampled  the  dishes,  taking  in  the  whole  line,  until  merci- 
fully relieved  by  the  sound  of  the  whistle  and  the  cry  of 
"all  aboard." 

All  through  the  rural  districts,  as  well  as  in  the  towns 
and  cities,  from  Steubenville  to  Cincinnati,  the  people 
turned  out  by  the  roadside  and  cheered  as  we  passed. 
Licensed  to  do  about  as  they  pleased,  the  men  were  all 
over  the  train,  on  the  cow-catcher,  in  the  engine  cab  and 
on  top  of  the  cars.  Among  them  were  mechanics  and  en- 
gineers, and  often  a  soldier  could  be  seen  at  the  throttle 
or  the  brakes.  They  were  now  thoroughly  rested  from 
their  fatiguing  marches,  and  although  soon  to  return  to 
a  field  where  the  reception  given  by  the  people  would 
more  likely  be  of  the  kind  to  welcome  them  to  "hospitable 
graves,"  rather  then  to  tables  spread  with  all  the  luxuries 
of  the  culinary  art,  they  were  as  full  of  good  cheer  as 
their  stomachs  were  of  fried  chicken,  and  they  took  a 
lively  interest  in  every  passing  event. 

A  big  Irish  sergeant  who,  in  some  way  on  the  raid,  had 
secured  or  captured  a  rebel  guidon,  would  stand  on  top 
of  the  car  and  wave  it  before  the  admiring  throngs,  as  an 


us  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

evidence  of  his  prowess.  One  day,  the  train  going  at  the 
rate  of  thirty  miles  an  hour,  had  just  passed  a  crowd  of 
people,  when  the  sergeant  turning  his  hack  to  the  front 
of  the  train,  and  facing  the  rear,  in  order  to  hold  the  at- 
tention of  the  people  as  long  as  possible,  waving  his  cap- 
tured flag  and  gesticulating  as  he  did  so,  did  not  heed  the 
warning  of  a  "low  bridge,"  given  by  a  loose  netting  sus- 
pended over  the  track  for  that  purpose.  The  train  dashed 
on  and  in  a  moment  the  back  of  the  sergeant's  head  came 
in  collision  with  one  of  the  timbers  of  the  bridge,  which 
threw  him  flat,  and  apparently  lifeless,  on  the  deck  of  the 
car.  At  the  next  station  he  was  carried  off,  still  insensible, 
and  there  left  with  a  detail  of  two  men  to  stand  by,  and 
give  him  a  decent  burial,  if  such  service  be  required,  as 
all  believed  the  case  would  be.  In  course  of  time  Cincin- 
nati was  reached,  then  Covington  and  Nicholasville,  where 
we  had  been  but  a  short  time,  when  the  big  sergeant,  to 
the  astonishment  of  all,  appeared  one  day,  still  carrying 
the  guidon,  and  looking  fresh  and  rosy  as  ever. 

While  stooping  over  from  the  top  of  a  car  to  speak  to 
some  one  (the  train  being  in  motion)  my  wallet  dropped 
from  the  side  pocket  of  my  coat  to  the  ground.  It  opened 
as  it  fell,  scattering  the  contents,  which  were  the  photo- 
graphs of  my  mother  and  sister,  some  postage  stamps,  and 
trinkets  valuable  to  me  if  to  no  one  else,  and  a  letter  or 
two,  the  superscription  of  which  would  reveal  my  name, 
rank  and  regiment,  to  anyone  who  might  chance  to  pick 
them  up.  I  watched  them  with  a  sigh  as  they  fluttered 
a  moment  in  the  air  and  then  sank  out  of  sight,  not  expect- 
ing ever  to  see  them  again.  But  it  is  the  unexpected  that 
happens  in  time  of  war — as  well  as  in  peace.  It  was  now 
about  the  first  of  August  and  in  the  September  following 
I  was  made  a  prisoner  in  East  Tennessee  and  carried  first 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  119 

to  Atlanta  and  then  to  Libby  Prison,  Richmond,  Virginia. 
During  the  time  of  confinement  in  the  latter  place  a 
package  addressed  to  me  came  to  the  regiment  which, 
later  on,  proved  to  be  the  lost  pocketbook  with  contents. 
The  package,  in  addition,  contained  a  letter  from  the 
young  girl  who  had  found  it  near  the  spot  where  it  had 
fallen  from  my  pocket,  as  above  described. 

Eight  months  had  passed  before  my  return  to  the  regi- 
ment after  the  capture,  and,  meantime,  the  package  had 
been  delivered  to  John  McCreary,  a  soldier  in  my  com- 
pany, who,  on  leave  of  absence,  had  gone  home,  thinking 
to  deliver  it  to  me  there,  as  the  tunneling  from  Libby, 
with  the  names  of  those  who  escaped  had  already  become 
current.  But  as  I  reached  home,  McCreary  had  returned 
to  the  regiment  carrying  the  package  with  him;  and,  to 
end  a  story  already  too  long,  I  did  not  recover  the  pack- 
age for  more  than  a  year  from  the  time  of  its  loss.  These 
circumstances  are  related  here  because  of  the  relation- 
ship which  they  bear  to  another  occurrence  to  be  related 
a  little  further  on  in  the  progress  of  these  memoirs. 

Later  in  August  our  cavalry  took  the  advance  of  Burn- 
side's  army 

FROM  KENTUCKY  INTO  EAST  TENNESSEE. 

Upon  Lincoln's  first  call  for  volunteers  to  aid  in  up- 
holding the  Constitution  and  the  laws,  the  governors  of 
the  several  border  slave-holding  States  treated  the  appeal 
with  contempt;  replying  in  effect,  that  not  a  man  or  a 
dollar  would  ever  be  contributed  by  them  to  aid  the 
Federal  authorities  in  a  proposed  effort  to  coerce  the  six 
Southern  States  already  in  insurrection,  viz.:  South 
Carolina,  Alabama,  Mississippi,  Louisiana,  Florida  and 


120 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


Texas.  But  in  the  light  of  history,  the  doughty  governors 
of  the  border  States  either  did  not  have  a  just  conception 
of  the  national  spirit  that  animated  the  breasts  of  a  very 
large  proportion  of  the  citizens  of  their  commonwealths, 
or  they  were  then  undertaking  to  run  a  "high  bluff"  as 
opposed  to  the  will  of  their  own  people,  and  against  the 
constituted  authorities. 

It  is  a  fact,  but  little  understood  at  this  time,  that  the 
slave-holding  States/ so  misrepresented  by  their  respective 
governors  at  the  outbreak  of  hostilities,  contributed,  before 
the  close  of  the  war  that  followed  in  consequence  of  the 
rebellion,  300,000  men,  who  freely  offered  their  services 
and  their  lives  in  defense  of  the  Union  and  the  flag  they 
loved  so  well.  Not  only  this,  but  these  loyal  Southerners, 
before  entering  the  lists,  were  compelled  to  face  the  most 
galling  contumely  and  proscription  among  the  neighbors 
of  a  lifetime;  and  often  their  own  family  circles  were  dis- 
rupted and  torn  asunder. 

It  is  not  disputed  at  this  time  but  that  the  men  of  the 
South  who  espoused  the  cause  of  secession  were  actuated 
by  what  they  conceived  to  be  the  right;  but  if  these  worthy 
motives  are  conceded  to  them,  they  assuredly  should  do 
no  less  than  grant  the  same  liberal  concession  to  those  of 
their  old  friends  and  neighbors  who  took  up  the  gage  of 
battle  in  defense  of  the  Union. 

Out  of  the  vast  number  of  Southern  men  who  thus  con- 
tended, 39,508  laid  down  their  lives,  and  their  bones  are 
left  to  enrich  the  soil  that  gave  them  birth,  and  upon  which 
their  young  manhood  was  nurtured  and  sustained.  Gov- 
ernor Magoffin,  of  Kentucky,  in  replying  to  Mr.  Lincoln's 
first  call  for  troops,  April  15th,  said :  "I  say  emphatically 
Kentucky  will  furnish  no  troops  for  the  wicked  purpose 
of  subduing  her  sister  Southern  States."  But,  strange  as 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  121 

it  may  seem,  among  the  loyal  sons  of  the  South  who 
attested  their  faith  in  a  united  country  Kentucky  sent 
75,760  into  the  field,  and  10,774  of  these  sealed  their  faith 
in  death.  Governor  Harris,  of  Tennessee,  replied,  April 
18th:  "Tennessee  will  not  furnish  a  single  man  for 
coercion,  but  50,000,  if  necessary,  for  the  defense  of  our 
rights."  But  shut  in  by  mountain  ranges  and  surrounded 
on  every  side  by  the  hosts  of  treason,  the  sparsely  popu- 
lated State  of  Tennessee  enrolled  31,772  of  her  sons  in 
the  Union  ranks,  and  before  peace  had  spread  her  soft 
mantle  over  their  picturesque  hills  6,779  had  perished,  and 
their  names  are  found  on  the  scroll  of  the  nation's  honored 
dead. 

In  all  of  the  original  seceding  States,  indeed,  in  every 
Southern  State,  there  were  loyal  men  who  openly  espoused 
the  cause  of  the  Union  and  enrolled  themselves  in  the 
ranks  of  her  army.  These  are  facts  that  should  be  better 
understood,  not  for  the  purpose  of  keeping  alive  any  ani- 
mosities that  may  have  existed  prejudicial  to  these  men 
among  their  own  people,  but  rather  that  their  names  at 
last  may  be  handed  down  with  other  heroes;  for,  in  the 
belief  of  this  writer,  the  time  is  not  far  distant  when  the 
loyal  South  will  honor  by  the  erection  of  monumental 
piles  the  memory  of  her  brave  sons  who  wore  the  blue,  as 
well  as  those  who  wore  the  gray. 

We  now  had  with  us  a  number  of  Tennesseeans,  who 
had  fled  from  their  homes  and  joined  our  ranks  in  Ken- 
tucky. Many  of  them  were  born  and  raised  in  the  Cum- 
berland Mountains,  and  for  Union  proclivities  had  been 
compelled  to  leave  their  native  State  and  seek  safety  in 
a  more  congenial  clime,  and  also  that  they  might  find  an 
opportunity  to  enroll  their  names  in  a  cause  dear  to  them 
as  life  itself.  Though  uneducated  and  ignorant  of  the 


122 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


world  as  many  were,  their  loyalty  to  the  Government  was 
strong  as  that  which  bound  them  to  their  homes  and  kin- 
dred. It  sometimes  happened  our  march  led  past  the  doors 
where  many  of  these  men  first  saw  the  light  of  day,  and 
where  their  happy  childhood  had  been  spent.  The  mothers, 
sisters,  wives  and  sweethearts  often  came  out  along  the 
road  for  an  opportunity  to  embrace  and  say  good-bye  to 
their  sons  and  brothers,  perhaps  for  the  last  time.  But 
our  march  was  hurried  and  the  orders  to  keep  an  unbroken 
rank  were  strict.  Frequently,  however,  when  coming  to  a 
halt  an  opportunity  was  given  for  these  last  most  affecting 
salutations.  On  one  occasion  an  old  mother,  after  having 
embraced  her  boy,  dropped  on  her  knees  in  the  attitude  of 
prayer.  "That's  right,  mother/'  said  the  son,  as  he 
mounted  his  horse  and  rode  off.  "You  do  the  praying 
and  I'll  do  the  fighting."  But  the  prison  pens  of  the 
South  were  yearning  for  these  loyal  men,  so  many  of  whom 
never  saw  their  homes  again. 

Descending  into  the  more  populous  valleys,  our  troops 
were  often  greeted  with  cheers  and  shouts  for  the  army 
and  for  the  Union.  At  Athens,  on  the  Cumberland  River, 
an  American  flag,  just  "unearthed"  from  a  feather  bed, 
where  it  had  been  secreted  since  the  war  began,  was 
stretched  across  the  street  in  honor  of  our  coming,  and 
the  troops  marched  proudly  under  its  folds. 

Having  scouted  the  country  throughout  East  Tennessee 
for  a  month  or  more,  a  small  brigade  consisting  of  one 
thousand  men  of  the  8th  Michigan  and  1st  East  Tennessee 
Cavalry,  with  two  pieces  of  artillery,  commanded  by  Col- 
onel E.  K.  Byrd,  of  the  1st  East  Tennessee,  were  en- 
camped a  few  days  at  Calhoun,  on  the  Hiwassee  River, 
watching  the  movements  of  the  enemy  from  the  direction 
of  Chattanooga.  From  the  19th  to  the  23d  of  September 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  123 

we  lay  there  nervously  and  anxiously  listening  to  the 
distant  rumble  of  their  big  guns,  while  the  contending 
armies  of  the  North  and  South  were  in  a  fierce  grapple  for 
the  mastery  at  Chickamauga.  The  great  battle  having 
been  fought,  there  was  reason  to  believe  some  decisive 
movement  would  follow  soon,  but  we  were  somewhat  sur- 
prised on  the  morning  of  the  26th,  when  a  party  of  our 
scouts,  coming  in  from  the  South,  brought  the  intelligence 
that  a  large  force  of  the  enemy  was  rapidly  approaching 
from  the  direction  of  Chattanooga,  led  by 

GENERAL  N.  B.  FOREST. 

His  was  a  name  more  likely  to  strike  terror  to  the  heart 
of  a  Yankee  soldier  taken  by  surprise  than  any  other  in 
the  Southern  Confederacy,  for  Forest  was  a  very  daring 
and  successful  cavalryman. 

The  writer  at  this  time  was  in  command  of  a  company, 
but  early  that  morning,  before  receiving  the  news  of  the 
threatened  attack,  had  reported  on  the  sick  list.  Thus, 
being  excused  from  duty  by  the  brigade  surgeon,  his  men, 
under  command  of  another  officer,  had  gone  out  to  take 
their  turn  in  the  daily  routine  of  picket  duty.  This  state- 
ment is  made  to  show  how  it  happened  just  then  he  was 
without  a  command.  It  also  explains  the  circumstances 
that  soon  after  led  the  writer  unwittingly  into  the  diffi- 
culties that  are  made  the  theme  of  the  ensuing  chapter. 
So,  not  wishing  to  retire  with  the  wagon  train  and  ambu- 
lance, which  had  been  put  in  motion  to  the  rear  on  the 
first  sound  of  alarm,  taking  up  a  Spencer  rifle  lying  idly 
in  the  quarters,  I  determined  to  learn  more  than  the 
knowledge  already  gained  of  the  real  duty  of  "the  man 
behind  the  gun." 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

By  this  time  the  dust  raised  by  the  enemy's  column 
could  be  seen  over  the  tops  of  the  timber,  winding  its 
course  among  the  hills,  and  rapidly  drawing  near.  Colonel 
Byrd,  like  all  East  Tennesseeans  in  the  Union  Army,  had 
a  supreme  dread  of  capture,  as  indeed  he  had  reason  to 
be;  for  as  prisoners  of  war  they  were  often  subjected  to 
great  indignities  by  their  Southern  captors,  and  were 
sometimes  shot  or  hung  with  but  little  ceremony.  So, 
while  making  hasty  preparations  for  a  spirited  defense, 
Colonel  Byrd  was  heard  to  remark:  "If  those  fellows 
catch  me,  by  the  Eternal,  they'll  hang  me."  With  this 
added  danger  threatening,  it  is  not  surprising  that  in  pre- 
paring for  battle  he  also  looked  well  to  the  avenues  of 
escape.  From  the  encampment  of  the  Union  troops 
(which  was  in  the  edge  of  a  strip  of  timber  on  an  elevated 
plateau)  there  was  a  descending  plain,  about  a  mile  in 
extent,  to  the  village  of  Calhoun  and  the  river,  on  the  op- 
posite or  southwesterly  side  of  which  another  mile  of  open 
ground  intervened  to  the  timber  beyond.  Out  of  this  the 
enemy  now  began  to  pour  in  column  of  fours,  looking  like 
some  great  monster  emerging  from  its  lair  among  the 
wooded  hills.  They  rode  boldly  out  on  the  open  plain, 
without  apparent  regard  for  our  battery,  which  had 
already  opened  fire,  and  was  doing  some  pretty  effective 
work,  as  we  could  plainly  see,  when  a  shot  now  and  then 
threw  up  the  dust  under  their  line,  causing  the  horses  to 
rear  and  plunge,  temporarily  breaking  the  ranks.  But 
immediately  closing  up,  they  galloped  out  of  sight,  soon 
reaching  the  cover  of  a  high  hill  directly  in  the  rear  of 
Calhoun,  and  less  than  half  a  mile  distant  from  the  river. 
On  the  summit  of  the  hill  was  a  dismantled  earthworks 
that  had  previously  been  abandoned  by  the  enemy.  In  an 
incredibly  short  space  of  time,  dismounted  men  were  seen 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  125 

at  the  top  of  this  hill,  the  foremost  of  whom,  after  reach- 
ing the  summit,  sprang  upon  the  works  and  greeted  us 
with  the  old  rebel  yell;  but  a  volley  from  our  Spencer 
rifles  at  a  half  mile  range  caused  them  as  quickly  to  dis- 
appear. A  few  minutes  later,  a  battery  of  Rodman  guns 
planted  in  the  old  works,  belched  forth  a  defiance  more 
terrifying  than  the  triumphant  shouts  of  the  Johnnies, 
for  at  the  very  first  round  two  shots  plumped  down  in  the 
midst  of  our  horses,  now  saddled  and  standing  just  in  rear 
of  the  camp,  ready  for  a  hasty  move  in  any  direction. 

Our  only  hope  now  was  to  check  the  enemy's  progress 
at  the  river  and  if  possible  prevent  their  crossing.  The 
outlying  pickets  had  already  been  drawn  in,  and  every 
available  man  was  hurried  on  foot  to  the  river.  Being 
independent  of  a  command,  I  concluded  to  ride  a  horse 
down  to  the  front  to  be  the  better  prepared  for  an  emer- 
gency in  case  of 

A  GENERAL  RETREAT. 

A  servant  belonging  to  that  numerous  family  of 
"Washingtons"  found  among  the  colored  race  in  the  South 
(so  many  of  whose  male  members  are  christened  "George") 
was  taken  along  to  the  village  and  left  in  care  of  the 
horse  behind  a  brick  building,  with  strict  injunctions  to 
remain  there  until  called  for.  The  village  of  Calhoun, 
while  halting  between  two  opinions  (on  the  subject  of  the 
war  the  inhabitants  were  about  equally  divided)  found  it- 
self literally  between  two  fires.  For  both  batteries  were 
now  playing  over  the  housetops,  a  shot  from  either  side 
occasionally  clipping  the  roof  or  chimney  stacks  of  some  of 
the  highest  buildings. 

Falling  in  with  one  of  the  companies  of  my  regiment, 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

we  took  up  a  position  in  a  stockade  of  upright  timbers 
driven  into  the  ground  along  the  bank  of  the  river.  The 
enemy  already  occupied  the  basements  of  the  buildings 
within  hailing  distance  on  the  opposite  banks,  and  a  con- 
test of  sharp  shooting  at  once  began  with  deadly  intent 
and  purpose  on  both  sides.  Toward  every  opening  from 
which  the  flash  of  a  gun,  hat,  or  any  part  or  appearance  of 
a  man's  anatomy  could  be  seen,  the  shots  were  directed. 
Becoming  so  much  engrossed  with  this  work,  I  paid  no  at- 
tention to  an  order  coming  about  this  time  to  retire,  but 
kept  on  firing  until,  looking  around,  I  found  myself  en- 
tirely alone.  Remembering  the  horse  nearby  in  charge  of 
my  faithful  "George,"  I  took  no  especial  concern  at  this, 
believing  when  thus  mounted  I  could  overtake  the  troops 
that  were  on  foot,  in  a  very  short  time,  and  so  run  no  more 
risk  than  those  who  had  left  earlier  in  the  contest.  But 
imagine  my  surprise  and  disappointment,  on  reaching  the 
building,  behind  which  it  was  expected  my  horse  would  be 
found,  rearing  and  plunging,  impatient  for  the  hand  of 
his  master,  to  find  that  both  horse  and  groom  had  already 
decamped.  The  reason  for  George's  early  departure  was 
soon  made  apparent,  for  on  looking  farther  I  saw  where 
a  shot  from  the  enemy's  battery  had  passed  through  the 
roof  beneath  which  he  had  been  left  in  supposed  security; 
and  being  thus  showered  with  the  spray  of  broken 
shingles,  mixed  now  and  then  with  pieces  of  brick,  doubt- 
less proved  too  much  for  George's  patriotism,  and  he  at 
once  showed  a  clean  pair  of  heels,  as  well  as  the  tail  of  a 
good  horse,  to  the  enemy. 

A  further  surprise  now  greeted  me  on  seeing  so  many 
of  the  men  we  were  shooting  at  a  few  minutes  before 
across  the  river  scurrying  through  the  streets  of  Calhoun, 
ell  apparently  in  a  very  sound  and  healthy  condition,  and 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  127 

I  concluded,  without  further  delay,  to  imitate  the  example 
set  by  George,  and  take  to  the  rear  as  rapidly  as  possible. 
From  the  friendly  shelter  of  scattering  houses  1  soon  had 
to  appear  in  the  open  field,  in  plain  sight  of  the  enemy, 
who  already  occupied  the  town  in  large  numbers. 

I  now  sought  the  protection  of  the  railroad  track  which 
ran  near  our  camp,  but  on  approaching  the  higher  ground, 
the  embankment,  or  fill  of  the  road  grew  less,  and  soon,  in 
order  to  keep  under  cover,  I  was  compelled  to  drop  to  my 
knees,  in  this  manner  hoping  to 

MAKE  GOOD  MY  ESCAPE. 

On  reaching  the  encampment  another  disappointment 
awaited  me;  for,  save  now  and  then  a  horse  still  hitched 
and  unclaimed,  the  place  was  deserted.  A  general  retreat 
had  taken  place,  and  shot  from  the  enemy's  battery  still 
crashing  through  the  timber  added  to  my  discomfort.  No 
time  was  lost,  however,  in  reaching  a  horse  standing 
hitched  to  a  tree  near  by,  and  jumping  wildly  from  side 
to  side  at  the  end  of  a  halter.  Taking  out  my  knife  I  cut 
the  hitching  strap  which  was  drawn  very  tight,  and  when 
in  the  act  of  mounting,  a  shell  bursting  somewhere  in 
close  proximity  sent  a  fragment  weighing  about  three 
pounds  against  the  tree  from  which  the  horse  had  just 
been  freed,  and  glancing  off  it  struck  me  on  the  instep, 
causing  a  painful  sore  soon  after.  My  new-found  treasure 
in  the  shape  of  a  horse,  while  by  no  means  an  "Arabian/5 
rose  at  once  to  the  occasion,  and  giving  him  a  free  rein 
and  spur,  together  we  sped  away  up  the  road  through  the 
timber;  both  apparently  anxious  to  pass  over  and  beyond 
the  divide,  out  of  range  of  shot  and  shell  that  continued 
to  follow  like  a  Nemesis. 


128  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

On  attempting  to  place  my  feet  in  the  stirrups  the 
straps  were  found  to  be  too  short,  and  when  the  difficult 
feat  was  accomplished,  my  knees  were  in  close  proximity 
to  my  chin.  But  not  being  out  for  inspection  or  on  dress 
parade,  I  took  little  note  of  this,  and  continued  to  urge 
my  horse  to  the  limit  of  his  speed.  We  soon  passed  over 
the  ridge  down  into  the  valley  at  a  point  where  I  had 
hoped  to  be  out  of  range,  but  on  reaching  the  intersection 
of  the  highway  with  the  railroad,  I  saw  the  trunk  of  a 
man's  body  whose  head  had  been  carried  away  by  a  can- 
non shot,  and  concluding  we  were  not  yet  altogether  safe, 
urged  my  faithful  little  animal  to  still  greater  effort. 
Soon  coming  into  a  cloud  of  dust,  I  was  somewhat  alarmed 
by  the  cry  of  "Halt"  that  rang  out  a  short  distance  ahead, 
and  reining  up  found  myself  within  fifty  yards  of  the  rear 
guard  of  our  retreating  troops.  They  had  formed  across 
the  road  awaiting  the  approach  of  the  enemy,  and  com- 
pletely hidden  by  the  dust,  which  hung  like  a  cloud  for  a 
long  distance  just  above  the  ground,  within  the  radius  of 
the  skirting  timber.  I  had  come  near  receiving  a  volley 
from  our  own  troops.  What  added  pleasure  to  this  meet- 
ing, however,  was  finding  here  my  horse,  which  had  been 
recognized  by  some  of  my  comrades  and  taken  from 
George  in  his  flight  down  the  road.  George,  however, 
without  unnecessary  delay,  continued  his  retreat  on  foot 
and  alone.  As  related  by  those  who  saw  him,  from  the 
manner  in  which  he  took  to  the  timber  after  being  dis- 
mounted, it  is  doubtful  when,  if  ever,  he  stopped  running 
long  enough  to  find  out  the  War  was  over  and  that  he  was 
free. 

We  retreated  all  that  day  and  night,  hard  pressed  for 
the  most  part,  the  rear  being  covered  in  the  manner  de- 
scribed. Forming  across  the  road,  hidden  by  the  dust,  and 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  129 

there  waiting  until  the  enemy's  advance  rode  within 
range,  the  rear  guard  would  fire  a  volley  or  two,  causing 
the  enemy  to  halt  and  deploy,  thus  giving  our  men  time 
to  take  up  a  position  farther  to  the  rear.  These  tactics 
were  followed  until  night  came  on,  when  the  enemy  was 
compelled  to  advance  with  greater  caution,  and  we  found 
some  relief  from  their  determined  assaults.  I  stayed  with 
the  rear  guard  until  my  stock  of  ammunition  was  ex- 
hausted, and  then  rode  on  in  an  effort  to  overtake  the 
main  column,  but  was  unable  to  come  up  with  them. 

After  a  running  fight  for  a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles 
in  the  direction  of  Loudon,  the  enemy  seemed  to  have 
been  pretty  well  distanced;  and  about  2  or  3  o'clock  in  the 
morning  I  was  taken  desperately  ill  and  soon  found  it  im- 
possible to  go  farther.  This  was  near  a  little  hamlet  called 
Mouse  Creek,  where,  in  company  with  a  half  dozen  other 
men,  I  went  to  a  hotel  kept  by  a  family  by  the  name  of 
McKee,  known  to  us  in  our  raids  through  that  country 
previously  as  a  Union  house,  or  a  public  place  kept  by 
people  friendly  to  our  cause.  Two  women  were  its  only 
occupants  at  this  time,  the  men  belonging  to  the  house, 
not  already  driven  from  the  country,  having  gone  out  with 
our  troops  during  the  night.  I  now  sought  this  shelter  for 
a  little  rest  that  could  no  longer  be  delayed.  On  being 
directed  to  a  room  I  took  my  watch  and  money  from  my 
pocket  and  crowded  them  inside  the  leg  of  my  boot  for 
greater  safety;  and  then  stretching  myself  upon  a  bed, 
soon  fell  into  a  fitful  and  feverish  sleep;  and  in  it  had  a 
dream  ("which  was  not  all  a  dream")  in  which  I  was  being 
mercilessly  pursued  by  the  enemy  and  constantly  made  a 
target  for  their  rifles.  Trying  to  defend  myself,  the  lever 
to  my  repeater  failed  to  throw  the  cartridges  into  the 
barrel,  and  when  the  trigger  was  pulled  there  was  no  recoil 


130 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


or  report.  The  gun,  seemingly,  like  myself,  had  lost  its 
nerve  and  fell  limp  and  useless  at  my  feet.  In  despera- 
tion I  then  tried  to  run,  but  my  limbs  were  nerveless  as 
the  gun  and  failed  to  execute  my  will.  A  stalwart  soldier 
in  gray,  bearded,  and  with  fixed  bayonet,  rushed  upon 
me.  I  felt  the  cold  steel  entering  my  breast — and  then 
awoke.  On  springing  to  my  feet,  I  found  the  soldier  of 
my  dream  with  gun  in  hand,  standing  over  me.  He  in- 
formed me  that  I  was  a  prisoner  and  must  go  with  him, 
and  on  leaving  the  room  found  the  house  surrounded  by 
an  armed  guard  and  all  of  its  inmates  prisoners  of  war. 
It  was  now  the  26th  day  of  September  and  (as  if  by  the 
irony  of  fate)  just  two  months  from  the  day  in  which  I 
had  participated  in  the  capture  of  General  Morgan  in 
Columbiana  County,  Ohio. 

From  the  barefoot  condition  of  many  of  my  captors,  I 
greatly  feared  being  compelled  in  the  end  to 

PAET  WITH  MY  BOOTS. 

In  such  an  event  the  watch  and  money  secreted  therein 
would  most  likely  be  discovered  and  disappear  with  the 
boots,  so  I  took  these  valuables,  when  unobserved,  from 
their  temporary  hiding  place,  and  without  saying  a  word 
handed  them  to  one  of  the  ladies  of  the  house,  who  chanced 
to  be  standing  just  behind  me.  She,  seeming  to  under- 
stand, took  the  watch  and  money  in  silence  as  I  had 
offered  them.  I  did  this  believing  these  loyal  women  to 
be  more  deserving  of  my  little  personal  effects  than  my 
captors.  The  prisoners  were  soon  hurried  off  up  the  road 
a  mile  or  so  beyond  the  outskirts  of  the  village,  where  all 
went  into  camp,  the  Confederates  having  with  them  about 
125  prisoners,  captured  that  night  and  the  day  before. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  131 

At  the  first  opportunity  I  stretched  myself  on  the  ground, 
hoping  to  obtain  a  little  rest  and  sleep  before  the  march  to 
the  rear  was  taken  up,  which  must  follow  soon,  for  there 
was  danger  of  interference  by  the  Federal  Infantry  at 
Loudon,  only  about  twelve  miles  distant. 

The  camp  having  been  settled  and  daylight  coming  on, 
numbers  of  soldiers  came  around  to  take  a  better  look  at 
the  live  Yankees  captured  during  the  night.  For  my 
own  part,  I  felt  more  dead  than  alive,  and  had  I  looked  as 
I  felt  they  would  doubtless  have  carried  me  off  for  burial 
before  the  heat  of  the  day  came  on.  No  officers  being 
present  at  the  time,  a  guard  standing  near  (after  looking 
long  and  anxiously,  as  I  thought,  at  my  boots,  which  were 
of  a  first-class  pattern,  having  high  tops  with  a  red  border) 
ordered  me  to  take  them  off,  saying  that  he  needed  just 
such  a  pair  in  his  own  business.  After  glancing  at  those 
he  had  on  I  could  not  well  dispute  the  necessity  that  urged 
him,  and  under  this  pressure  was  compelled,  though  re- 
luctantly, to  part  with  my  boots.  The  soldier  meantime 
offered  his  own  in  return,  surely  not  expecting  they  could 
ever  render  me  any  particular  service,  but  doubtless  as  a 
souvenir  or  memento  of  the  friendly  interchange  that  had 
there  taken  place.  This  transaction  passing  off  smoothly, 
others  gathered  around,  and  article  after  article  of  my 
wardrobe  disappeared,  "like  the  baseless  fabric  of  this 
vision."  They  were  replaced  by  others,  many  of  them 
curious  and  misshapen  enough.  When  I  finally  arose, 
togged  out  in  an  entirely  new  uniform,  "Solomon  in  all 
his  glory"  could  not  have  resembled  me.  The  trousers 
vouchsafed  me  were  made  of  green  baize,  the  cloth  gener- 
ally used  for  covering  billiard  tables.  Before  fairly  out  of 
the  dilemma  into  which  I  had  so  unluckily  fallen,  the 
garment  in  question  covered  a  pair  of  nether  limbs,  re- 


132  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

duced  from  what  were  then  fair  and  manly  proportions, 
to  about  the  size  and  dimensions  of  a  billiard  cue.  So 
the  trousers  in  the  end  seemed  not  altogether  inappro- 
priate. 

Careful  search  was  made  for  watch,  money  or  other 
valuables  about  my  person,  but,  finding  none,  they  seemed 
to  think  it  a  strange  circumstance  that  an  officer  in  the 
Yankee  army  should  be  found  thus  destitute.  This  fact, 
doubtless,  coupled  with  their  curiosity,  led  my  captors  to 
revisit  the  house  where  the  capture  took  place,  and  where, 
as  before  stated,  I  left  my  watch  and  money.  Possibly 
they  did  this  for  the  purpose  of  pursuing  farther  the  in- 
quiry and  search  for  any  valuables  I  may  have  left  there. 

The  movement  of  the  prisoners  to  the  rear  began  that 
afternoon  about  5  o'clock.  With  mounted  guards  on  either 
side,  our  march  on  foot  continued  all  that  night  and  the 
days  following,  until  Dallas,  Georgia,  was  reached — a  dis- 
tance of  fifty  miles.  A  good  portion  of  this  was  over  the 
road  that  marked  the  course  of  our  retreat  from  the 
Hiwassee  the  day  and  night  before.  It  is  pretty  severe 
on  a  cavalryman  not  accustomed  to  the  use  of  his  legs, 
even  when  in  good  health  and  abundantly  supplied  with 
rations,  to  be  dismounted  and  compelled  to  make  a  pro- 
longed march  on  foot.  Only  for  the  extreme  kindness  of 
a  guard  near  me,  who,  during  the  night  (when  unobserved 
by  the  officers  in  command),  got  down  from  his  horse  and 
permitted  me  to  get  into  his  saddle  and  ride  until  thor- 
oughly rested,  I  should  have  fallen  by  the  way.  Some  time 
the  next  day  we  reached  the  Hiwassee  at  Calhoun,  the 
scene  of  our  conflict  forty-eight  hours  before.  Having 
ourselves  destroyed  the  bridge,  we  could  not  well  complain 
at  being  compelled  to  wade  the  river  in  water  to  our  arm- 
pits. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  133 

Beaching  Dalton,  we  were  shipped  in  open  freight  cars 
to  Atlanta,  and  there  confined  in  a  stockade,  in  common 
with  about  twelve  hundred  other  prisoners,  mostly  captured 
at  Chickamauga,  and  many  of  them  wounded.  While  the 
guards  on  the  way  from  Dalton  to  Atlanta  had  had  noth- 
ing whatever  to  do  with  our  capture,  they  were  apparently 
getting  all  the  glory  for  it,  for  the  people  were  cheering 
them  on  every  hand  as  we  passed  through  the  country. 
As  the  train,  made  up  of  open  freight  cars,  moved  slowly 
through  the  villages  or  hamlets,  women  and  children  -came 
out  and  greeted  their  soldiers  with  waving  flags  and  hur- 
riedly passed  up  baskets  of  fruit  and  other  delicacies  to 
eat.  But  often  in  the  hurry  they  were  unable  to  distin- 
guish between  guards  and  prisoners,  and  thus  an  oppor- 
tunity was  given  now  and  then  for  a  modest,  unassuming 
and  half-famished  Yankee  to  accept  of  a  basket  of  sand- 
wiches or  a  chicken  pie.  But  when  a  mistake  of  this  kind 
was  discovered  the  unhappy  donor  would  spring  back  as 
from  some  venomous  reptile  and  exclaim,  "Ah !  Yankees !" 

On  reaching  Atlanta  we  fell  into  the  hands  of  a  young 
Lieutenant  of  Home  Guards  wearing  a  fancy  uniform 
that  had  never  been  soiled  by  service  in  the  camp  or  field, 
and  doubtless  himself  had  never  heard  the  report  of  an 
enemy's  gun.  Under  a  heavy  escort  he  marched  us  up 
and  down  the  principal  streets  of  the  city,  not  so  much 
apparently  to  exhibit  the  prisoners  as  to  show  himself  and 
his  uniform  to  the  admiring  throngs  that  lined  the  pave- 
ments. The  women  were  all  very  curious  to  see  the 
"Yankees,"  and  were  sometimes  saucy  and  even  insulting. 
But  as  a  rule  the  curious  crowd  remained  quiet  and  offered 
no  remarks;  but  one  old  gentleman  approached  as  we 
halted  for  a  time  on  the  street  and  accosted  me  as  fol- 
lows :  "Young  man,  you  are  in  the  predicament  now  that 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

every  Yankee  will  be  placed  in  (if  not  killed)  whoever 
dares  to  set  a  hostile  foot  on  Georgia  soil.  The  Southern 
people  can  never  be  conquered.  The  constant  prayer  of 
our  women  is  that  every  child  born  in  the  coming  genera- 
tion may  be  a  male,  that  we  may  raise  up  armies  to  fight 
you  to  the  end  of  time."  Although  I  may  not  have  had 
perfect  faith  in  my  ability  to  "make  good"  just  at  that 
time,  yet  in  answer  I  ventured  the  prediction  that  within 
the  year  I  would  return  to  Georgia  not,  indeed,  as  a  pris- 
oner of  war,  but  as  one  of  a  victorious  army,  and  that 
the  American  flag  would  then  be  waving  over  the  City 
Hall  at  Atlanta  and  the  State  Capitol  at  Milledgeville. 
The  conversation  was  here  cut  short,  as  we  were  ordered 
to  move  on,  and  the  old  gentleman's  contempt  at  this 
prophecy  was  fairly  depicted  in  his  countenance,  notwith- 
standing he  in  all  probability,  as  well  as  myself,  lived  long 
enough  to  see  the  prediction  a  verity. 

At  the  end  of  two  weeks  a  trainload  of  prisoners  was  made 
up  and  started  by  rail  for  Eichmond,  Virginia,  by  way  of 
Augusta,  Salisbury,  Columbus  and  Petersburg.  On  this 
journey,  which  occupied  fourteen  days,  the  prisoners  were 
temporarily  quieted  and,  for  a  time,  were  induced  to  bear 
with  greater  fortitude  and  resignation  the  privations  in- 
cidental to  their  surroundings  which  they  were  compelled 
to  undergo,  by  statements  made  to  them  to  the  effect  that 
as  soon  as  Eichmond  was  reached  all  were  to  be  exchanged 
or  paroled  and  at  once  sent  home.  These  statements 
proved  to  be  wholly  imaginary.  Coming  up  from  Peters- 
burg, we  crossed  the  long  bridge  just  below  Belle  Isle,  and, 
disembarking  on  the  Eichmond  side  of  the  James  Eiver, 
were  marched  in  columns  of  twos  down  Gary  Street  to  a 
point,  as  we  believed,  where  the  exchange  was  to  take  place. 

Visions  of  home  and  loved  ones  whom  we  expected 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  135 

soon  to  meet  were  uppermost  in  our  minds,  and,  thus 
encouraged,  we  passed  down  the  streets,  incidentally  view- 
ing the  strange  sights  of  the  Confederate  capital — that 
Mecca  the  Union  Army  had  been  striving  so  long  to  reach. 
For  my  own  part  I  remember  to  have  read  many  of  the 
signs  over  the  business  places,  but  only  one  has  been 
retained  through  the  long  years  that  have  intervened  since 
that  day.  As  our  column  halted  under  a  dark  and  frown- 
ing wall  of  brick  and  mortar,  on  looking  up,  there  over 
the  entrance  to  a  jail-like  structure  I  saw  painted  on  a 
board  in  large  black  letters  these  words:  "A.  Libby  & 
Sons,  Ship  Chandlers  and  Grocers."  And  immediately  the 
thought  came  to  me,  despite  the  fair  promises  made  to 
us  on  the  journey  from  Atlanta  that  an  exchange  of  pris- 
oners would  take  place  on  our  arrival  in  Richmond,  we 
had  now  reached  our  final  destination,  and  that  the  build- 
ing before  us  was  the  notorious  Libby  Prison  of  which  we 
had  heard  so  much,  and  instinctively  the  familiar  quota- 
tion came  to  my  mind:  "All  hope  abandon  ye  who 
enter  here." 

At  the  windows,  which  were  barred  like  those  of  a  jail, 
could  be  seen  the  wan  faces  of  our  friends  who  had  pre- 
ceded us.  The  officers  of  our  party  were  singled  out  and 
escorted  to  the  office  of  the  "Hotel  de  Libby,"  while  the 
enlisted  men  were  sent  to  Bell  Isle,  Castle  Thunder  and 
other  places  in  different  parts  of  the  city.  After  a  thor- 
ough search  for  weapons  and  more  valuables,  and  our 
names,  rank  and  regiment  had  been  made  a  matter  of 
record,  we  were  escorted  up  a  flight  of  stairs,  at  the  head 
of  which  was  a  door  secured  by  ponderous  bolts.  These 
were  thrown  back,  and  between  the  points  of  two  bayonets 
in  the  hands  of  stalwart  soldiers  standing  on  either  side 


136  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

we  passed  the  dreaded  portals  and  found  ourselves  at  last 
secure  within  the  famous 


BASTILE  OF  THE  CONFEDERACY. 

Our  group,  on  entering,  was  quickly  surrounded  by  the 
old  prisoners,  all  anxious  to  learn  something  of  the  progress 
of  the  war  and  of  their  friends  in  the  various  commands 
to  which  they  belonged,  as  the  information  the  Confeder- 
ates furnished  was  very  meager  and  exceedingly  unreliable. 

For  the  first  three  months  many  of  the  prisoners  lay  on 
the  bare  floor,  with  nothing  either  over  or  under  them, 
and  only  their  boots  on  which  to  lay  their  heads  at  night. 
Among  the  twelve  hundred  men  confined  there  at  the  time 
(all  officers  in  our  service  of  greater  or  lesser  rank)  was 
represented  almost  every  trade  and  profession.  Many  were 
masters  of  science,  art  and  literature,  whose  names  were 
not  unknown  to  fame.  There  were  preachers,  painters, 
sculptors,  orators  and  poets.  Many  were  the  beautiful  and 
curious  designs  wrought  from  beef  bones  saved  for  that 
purpose  after  the  bones  had  first  been  picked  to  the  marrow 
by  our  hungry  men. 

The  pencil  and  pen  sketches,  drawn  on  whatever  even 
surface  might  be  found,  often  showed  evidence  of  genius 
and  a  cultivated  hand.  Among  those  more  or  less  famous 
in  music  I  remember  one  of  the  Lumbard  family,  of 
Chicago,  at  that  time  celebrated  singers  of  the  Northwest, 
who  led  and  conducted  the  musical  part  of  Lincoln's  cam- 
paign for  the  Presidency  in  1860.  General  Neal  Dow, 
the  father  and  founder  of  the  Maine  liquor  law,  treated 
us  now  and  then  to  a  temperance  lecture,  which,  in  a 
practical  view,  seemed  to  be  quite  unnecessary,  as  food 
was  very  scarce  and  intoxicating  drinks  absolutely  out  of 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  137 

the  question.  Religious  services  were  held  quite  frequently, 
but  in  an  evil  hour  a  minstrel  troupe  was  organized,  which 
came  near  swamping  religion  and  all  other  considerations 
for  the  time  being.  Any  old  prisoner  will  remember  the 
song  of  "Johnny  Smoker,"  and  how  the  chorus,  "Wizer, 
Wizer,  Rinctum  Bum,"  was  rendered  by  the  minstrel  band, 
and  with  what  gusto  it  was  received  by  the  whole  prison. 

The  prisoners  were  constantly  hungry,  and  dreams  by 
night  were  filled  with  visions  of  home  and  loved  ones,  and 
tables  spread  with  every  conceivable  luxury  known  to  the 
culinary  art ;  but  on  waking  in  the  morning  the  old  sensa- 
tion of  hunger  came  back  with  renewed  force.  In  my 
more  contrite  and  submissive  moments  I  remember  to  have 
agreed  with  myself  that  if  spared  to  get  out  of  that  place 
I  would  never  ask  or  require  anything  more  or  better  to 
eat  than  bread  and  butter.  Of  ten.  I  wakened  in  the  night 
hungry,  and,  going  to  the  kitchen,  scraped  and  ate  the 
burned  rice  from  the  bottom  of  the  kettles,  as  they  had 
been  left  soaking  in  water  that  they  might  readily  be 
cleaned  for  the  next  hungry  installment. 

Some  of  the  prisoners  were  in  the  habit  of  lying  on  the 
floor  late  of  mornings,  to  the  annoyance  of  those  who 
wished  to  be  up  and  about.  Often  an  inquest,  "super 
viscum  corporis,"  was  held,  and  curious  and  witty  epitaphs 
were  placed  at  the  head,  as  though  the  sleeper  were  a 
dear  departed  friend.  Mock  funeral  services  were  some- 
times observed,  and  after  this  ceremony  the  "remains"  were 
taken  up  and,  amid  great  lamentations,  carried  to  some 
remote  part  of  the  prison  for  interment.  This  was  often 
under  the  hydrant.  These  corpses  frequently  became  quite 
lively  before  the  ceremonies  ended,  and  the  funeral  would 
then  break  up  in  a  row. 

An  armed  guard,  for  the  purpose  of  calling  the  roll  and 


138  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

for  other  reasons,  visited  the  prison  daily.  Having  no 
better  employment,  the  prisoners  resorted  to  various  strata- 
gems to  embarrass  and  mystify  the  guards.  But  when 
practical  jokes  became  too  serious,  and  those  directly  re- 
sponsible could  not  be  apprehended  in  any  other  way,  the 
authorities  would  reach  the  guilty  parties  by  shutting  off 
the  rations  of  the  entire  prison  for  twenty-four  hours. 
This  treatment  generally  produced  results. 

In  calling  the  roll,  the  prisoners  in  each  room  separately 
had  to  stand  in  line  four  ranks  deep.  Then  a  commis- 
sioned officer,  stepping  along  in  front,  would  count  off  the 
fours.  To  puzzle  and  annoy  him,  a  number  of  prisoners 
standing  in  the  rear  rank  (after  having  been  so  counted), 
unobserved  by  the  officer  in  front,  would  fall  out,  and, 
slipping  through  a  hole  in  the  partition  wall  (which  had 
been  dug  through  for  that  purpose  and  screened  from 
observation),  go  through  into  an  adjoining  room  and  there 
be  counted  a  second  time.  Thus  the  authorities  gained 
from  three  to  half  a  dozen  more  men  by  count  than  they 
had  names  on  their  rolls.  This  also  would  throw  off  sus- 
picion in  case  it  became  necessary  at  any  time  to  account 
for  the  absence  of  any  member  of  the  tunneling  party. 
This  trick  (varying  in  the  numbers  to  be  counted)  was 
repeated  several  times.  But,  unable  to  make  their  different 
accounts  agree,  they  would  finally  drive  the  whole  mass 
of  prisoners  into  the  lower  east  room  for  a  roll-call  by 
name.  In  this  position  we  were  packed  like  sardines  in 
a  box  and  unable  to  move.  After  answering  to  his  name 
the  prisoner  was  compelled  to  move  out  through  the  crowd 
to  the  door,  and  there  pass  between  the  points  of  two 
bayonets  in  the  hands  of  the  guards.  A  man  standing  in 
the  back  part  or  near  the  center  of  the  room,  having  in 
this  manner  to  respond  to  his  name,  the  very  best  he  could 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  139 

do  would  occupy  twenty  to  thirty  minutes  in  finding  his 
way  through  this  mass  of  men  to  the  door. 

This  operation  prevented  further  mischief  for  one  day, 
at  least,  and  in  the  matter  of  preserving  order  had  a  very 
salutary  effect. 

An  event  of  general  interest  during  the  confinement  in 
Libby,  and  especially  so  to  me,  was  the  visit  of  the  great 
raider,  General  Morgan,  who  had,  since  his  capture  in 
Ohio,  escaped  from  Columbus,  and  thence  found  his  way 
to  the  Confederate  capital,  where  he  was  given  an  ovation 
and  lionized  by  the  people  to  the  extent  that  the  ladies 
at  a  reception  given  him  (so  the  local  papers  stated) 
gathered  around  in  great  numbers  and  kissed  his  hand. 
Having  had  a  taste  of  prison  life  himself,  he  made  this 
tour  of  inspection  in  Libby,  no  doubt,  that  he  might  the 
better  enjoy  his  own  release  from  the  toils,  and  incidentally, 
perhaps,  to  witness  the  discomfort  of  the  other  fellows 
when  under  the  conditions  that  proved  so  irksome  to  him. 

Having  heard  through  Confederate  sources  that  he  had 
been  shaven,  clothed  in  stripes  and  treated  as  a  common 
felon  at  Columbus,  I  was  a  little  apprehensive  he  might, 
on  discovering  me  as  one  of  his  captors,  be  pleased  to  see 
me  placed  in  like  embarrassing  circumstances;  and,  for 
this  reason  did  not  make  myself  known  to  him,  otherwise 
I  should  surely  have  gone  forward  and  congratulated  the 
General  on  his  good  fortune  in  making  the  escape.  While 
to  be  decorated  in  the  garb  of  a  common  felon  would  have 
been  humiliating  enough,  yet  I  would  gladly  have  ac- 
cepted almost  any  sort  of  clothing  at  that  time,  in  lieu  of 
those  I  had  on,  the  same  presented  me  by  my  captors  in 
East  Tennessee. 

In  Libby  the  prisoners  lived  under  discipline  of  their 
own,  adopted  from  the  military  plan,  and  in  this  way  kept 


140  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

themselves  in  comparative  good  health.  A  quartermaster 
selected  from  among  the  number  apportioned  the  rations 
and  dealt  them  out  daily.  Regular  details  were  made  for 
policing  the  quarters,  and  although  compelled  to  use  cold 
water  with  no  soap,  the  floors  were  mopped  every  day, 
and  there  was  a  penalty  attached  for  spitting  on  the  floor. 
At  our  request  the  room  was  provided  with  cuspidors 
made  of  small  boxes  of  wood  filled  with  sawdust.  These 
self-imposed  duties  in  a  great  measure  relieved  the  irk- 
someness  of  prison  life,  and  this  leads  me  to  say:  the 
Southern  soldier  as  a  prisoner,  though  provided  with  bet- 
ter quarters  and  better  and  more  abundant  rations  than 
we,  did  not  seem  to  fare  so  well,  and  to  this  day  he  con- 
tends that  his  treatment  was  even  worse.  The  difference 
is  easily  explained.  He  lacked  the  ingenuity  to  make  the 
best  out  of  the  materials  at  hand,  and  the  inclination  to 
help  himself.  Part  of  the  daily  duty  of  many  of  our 
farm  and  shop-raised  boys  before  entering  the  army  was 
found  in  the  kitchen  with  their  mothers,  aiding  in  the 
general  household  work.  Many  were  accustomed  from 
childhood  to  wait  on,  and  in  a  measure  support  and  shift 
for  themselves.  The  Southerner,  on  the  other  hand,  had 
been  accustomed  to  being  waited  upon,  and  when  it  came 
to  the  exigencies  of  prison  life  he  was  not  so  well  pre- 
pared as  the  Northerner,  for,  under  such  conditions, 
there's  something  required  more  than  mere  bravery.  The 
inability  to  take  care  of  himself  accounts  for  a  large  share 
of  the  discomfort  that  often  attended  the  Southern  soldier 
as  a  prisoner. 

The  Libby,  at  the  time  of  which  I  write,  was  situated 
between  Gary  and  Canal  Streets,  in  the  city  of  Richmond, 
Virginia,  the  capital  of  the  Southern  Confederacy.  The 
width  of  the  building  extended  one  hundred  and  ten  feet 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  141 

from  one  street  to  the  other,  its  sides  running  along  either 
street,  140  feet  east  and  west.  It  was  three  stories  high 
on  Gary,  with  a  hasement  cellar  under  the  entire  building, 
making  it  four  stories  high  on  Canal  Street.  Across  the 
width  of  the  building,  extending  from  the  basement  to 
the  roof,  were  two  partition  walls,  dividing  each  floor  into 
three  rooms  or  apartments  of  equal  size.  Our  prisoners 
at  this  time  occupied  the  two  upper  floors,  or  the  six  upper 
rooms.  The  rooms  were  designated  as  the  upper  and 
lower  east  rooms,  the  upper  and  lower  middle  rooms,  and 
the  upper  and  lower  west  rooms.  The  middle  room  on  the 
first  floor  below  was  used  for  cooking  purposes,  and  was 
known  as  the  kitchen.  It  had  three  fireplaces  in  its  east 
partition  wall.  This  kitchen  was  the  only  place  in  the 
building  the  prisoners  had  free  access  to,  save  the  six 
rooms  spoken  of  above.  The  fireplaces  were  not  utilized, 
but  in  front  of  each  one  of  them  were  three  stoves,  the 
pipes  of  which  went  into  the  chimney  flues,  running  up- 
ward above  the  fireplaces.  The  flues  did  not  extend  below 
this  floor,  so  the  partition  wall  from  here  down  was  solid. 
The  east  room  on  the  first  floor  was  used  for  hospital 
purposes;  the  west  room  was  the  office  where  the  prison 
officials  were  quartered,  and  the  basement  beneath  was 
divided  into  dungeons  for  the  confinement  and  punish- 
ment of  unruly  prisoners.  The  doors  and  windows  were 
barred  like  those  of  a  jail.  Heavy  guards,  of  course,  were 
stationed  on  the  outside,  so  the  only  hope  of  escape  seemed 
to  be  through 

THE  TUNNELING  PROCESS. 

Aside  from  the  effects  of  hunger,  there  was  a  feeling 
of  unrest  among  the  prisoners  which,  if  yielded  to,  often 
led  to  serious  despondency  and  even  insanity.  Plan  after 


142  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

plan  was  devised  for  escape,  which  upon  trial  proved  to  be 
impracticable.  In  the  dead  hours  of  the  night  a  few 
could  be  seen  prowling  around  the  prison,  in  the  hope 
that  some  means  of  egress  might  offer.  On  dark  stormy 
nights  the  guards  sometimes  came  up  for  temporary 
shelter  under  cover  of  the  prison  walls,  where,  unobserved 
by  anyone  from  the  outside,  they  would  enter  into  conver- 
sation with  the  prisoners,  often  giving  expressions  of 
sympathy.  Among  them  frequently  was  found  a  man  of 
Northern  birth,  who  had  been  conscripted  into  the  Con- 
federate army,  and  at  heart  a  Unionist.  Bribes  were 
sometimes  offered  by  the  prisoners,  and  taken  by  the 
guards;  but  attempts  to  escape  by  that  means  generally 
resulted  in  the  prisoner  being  handed  over  to  the  authori- 
ties, after  he  had  gotten  outside  and  given  up  his  valua- 
bles. 

At  one  time  a  plan  was  laid  for  the  escape  of  all  the 
prisoners  in  Richmond.  There  were  fifteen  or  twenty 
thousand  confined  in  various  parts  of  the  city  at  the  time. 
At  a  preconcerted  signal  these  were  to  break  out,  over- 
power the  guards,  take  their  arms,  seize  the  Tredagar 
Iron  Works;  where,  it  had  been  learned  from  the  daily 
papers  which  reached  the  prison  occasionally,  there  were 
enough  small  arms  and  ammunition  stored  to  put  a 
loaded  gun  into  the  hands  of  every  prisoner.  Successful 
thus  far,  the  design  was  to  take  possession  of  the  city  and 
the  Confederate  Congress  then  in  session  (including 
President  Davis)  and  hold  them  until  aid  could  come  from 
our  forces  in  Virginia.  The  signal  for  the  outbreak  was 
fixed;  every  prison  had  its  special  duty  assigned,  and  the 
day  of  the  night  on  which  the  attempt  was  to  be  made 
came,  when  lo!  the  secret  had  been  revealed  by  a  traitor 
in  the  prison. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  143 

This  act  of  treachery  was  charged  upon  Lieutenant 
Colonel  J.  M.  Sanderson,  of  New  York,  and  although  no 
direct  evidence  was  produced,  many  threats  were  made  by 
the  prisoners  against  his  life.  Indeed  the  authorities, 
fearing  he  might  be  assassinated,  took  Sanderson  out  of 
the  prison  and  kept  him  secreted  until  the  excitement  died 
out.  But  this  only  strengthened  the  suspicion  of  his  guilt, 
and  in  a  short  time  he  was  exchanged  or  paroled,  and 
pending  a  court  martial  fled  to  London. 

After  this  misadventure  it  was  resolved  that  any  new 
plan  should  include  only  men  whose  sagacity  and  fidelity 
could  be  implicitly  relied  upon.  By  their  continued  move- 
ments at  night  the  prisoners  most  desirous  of  escape 
gradually  came  to  know  each  other  and  to  take  counsel 
together.  In  this  way  a  compact  association,  consisting 
of  only  fifteen  men,  was  formed,  when  tunneling  was 
finally  decided  upon.  An  effort  to  go  out  through  a  large 
sewer  was  abandoned  as  impracticable  after  the  loss  of 

A  VAST  AMOUNT  OF  LABOR. 

It  was  then  determined  to  begin  in  the  basement  under 
the  east  end  of  the  building,  a  place  familiarly  designated 
as  "rat  hell,"  and  tunnel  eastward,  coming  out  under  a 
carriage  shed  attached  to  a  large  building  on  the  opposite 
side  of  the  street.  From  this  point  the  escaping  prisoners 
could  lie  screened  from  observation  by  the  guards,  behind 
a  high  board  fence  extending  from  the  ground  to  the 
roof  of  the  shed,  until  they  found  it  safe  to  emerge.  The 
tunnel  was  to  run  under  a  short  cross  street  reaching  from 
Canal  to  Gary  Street,  at  the  east  end  of  the  prison. 

But  how  was  this  cellar,  which  was  to  form  the  base  of 
all  tunneling  operations,  to  be  reached?  The  prisoners 


i44  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

could  not  go  into  the  hospital  room  and  thence  through 
the  floor  into  the  cellar,  for  in  this  room  were  nurses  and 
guards  who  would  at  once  discover  the  plan.  They  could 
not  go  into  the  basement  under  the  kitchen,  for  there 
were  the  dungeons  for  the  punishment  of  offending  prison- 
ers, and  guards  on  duty  all  the  time.  Every  step  taken 
had  to  be  kept  a  profound  secret;  not  only  from  the  Con- 
federate authorities,  but  from  the  majority  of  the  prisoners 
also,  and  until  access  to  the  cellar  could  be  obtained  noth- 
ing could  be  done. 

It  was  finally  determined  to  go  behind  the  stoves  in  one 
of  the  fireplaces  just  described,  and  taking  out  bricks  in 
the  center,  follow  the  partition  wall  down  below  the  floor 
on  which  the  cook  and  hospital  rooms  were  located  (a  dis- 
tance of  three  or  four  feet)  and  then  break  through  the 
wall  into  the  cellar,  thus  escaping  observation  from  every 
quarter.  This  was  successfully  accomplished.  Major  A. 
G.  Hamilton,  of  the  llth  Kentucky  Cavalry,  was  the 
author  of  this  plan,  while  Thomas  E.'  Rose,  late  of  the 
16th  U.  S.  Infantry,  then  Colonel  of  the  77th  Pennsyl- 
vania Volunteers,  was  the  chief  engineer  of  all  tunneling 
operations,  the  originator  and  leading  spirit  of  the  entire 
enterprise.  The  first  to  propose  the  plan,  and  foremost 
in  the  great  labor  incident  to  its  accomplishment,  he  was 
also  first  to  make  the  exit  through  the  tunnel,  having 
gone  out  into  the  street  the  night  before  the  escape  took 
place  to  reconnoiter,  and  returning  again  to  assure  his 
associates  and  all  who  were  to  be  benefited  by  his  daring 
example  that  escape  by  such  means  was  not  only  possible 
but  practicable.  And  at  last,  as  if  by  the  irony  of  fate, 
when  the  109  men  had  gone  out,  Colonel  Rose  among  the 
number,  he  was  among  the  first  of  the  recaptured  prison- 
ers to  be  brought  back  and  placed  in  solitary  confinement 


" 


COL.  THOMAS  E.  ROSE,  AT  THE  AGE  OF  SIXTY. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  145 

for  thirty  days  on  a  diet  of  meal  and  water,  as  a  punish- 
ment for  his  offense. 

Thomas  Elwood  Rose  was  born  March  12th,  1830,  in 
Bucks  county,  Pennsylvania.  He  enlisted  as  a  private 
soldier  in  the  three  months'  service  at  the  outbreak  of  the 
war,  and  worked  his  way  up  to  become  full  Colonel  of  a 
regiment,  the  77th  Pennsylvania  Infantry.  After  having 
rendered  the  most  valuable  service  through  the  Civil  War, 
he  was  honorably  discharged  December  6th,  1865,  having 
been  advanced  to  the  rank  of  Brigadier-General  of  Volun- 
teers, meantime.  He  commanded  the  2d  Brigade,  2d  Divi- 
sion 20th  Army  Corps  at  the  battle  of  Liberty  Gap.  His 
command  was  desperately  engaged  at  the  battle  of  Chicka- 
mauga,  September  19-20th,  1863,  he  being  captured  on 
the  second  day  and  sent  to  Libby  Prison.  After  all  this 
distinguished  service,  July  1866,  Colonel  Rose  was  com- 
missioned Captain  llth  U.  S.  Infantry,  and  in  that  capac- 
ity served  his  Government  on  the  frontier  in  Indian  cam- 
paigns to  April,  1892 — a  period  of  26  years  of  faithful 
service  in  the  Regular  Army  without  a  promotion — and 
then  was  raised  only  to  the  rank  of  Major  by  brevet. 
Drawing  near  the  close  of  his  service  on  account  of  old 
age,  he  was  finally  passed  to  the  rank  of  Lieutenant- 
Colonel  U.  S.  Army  by  brevet,  and  so  was  retired  at  the 
age  of  64  years,  March  12th,  1894.  This  soldier  incom- 
parable died  November  6th,  1907,  at  Washington,  D.  C. 
Had  such  a  record  been  made  by  a  soldier  in  the  French 
or  British  armies,  aside  from  substantial  recognition  in 
the  way  of  promotion,  the  highest  honors  within  the  gift 
of  those  governments  would  undoubtedly  have  been  be- 
stowed, viz.:  The  Decoration  of  the  Legion  of  Honor,  or 
the  Victoria  Cross. 

Returning  now  to  the  escape — beginning  in  the  fire- 


146  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

place,  the  bricks  were  removed  from  the  center  of  the  wall, 
so  as  to  make  an  opening  wide  enough  to  admit  a  man's 
body.  From  fifty  to  seventy-five  bricks  were  taken  out. 
The  work  was  all  accomplished  secretly  and  at  night. 
After  "lights  out,"  or  9  o'clock,  at  which  time  everybody 
in  the  prison  was  supposed  to  be  lying  down,  two  men, 
having  first  quietly  removed  the  bricks,  would  go  down 
and  take  turns  with  each  other  in  digging  throughout  the 
night.  In  the  meantime,  two  or  three  others,  detailed  for 
the  purpose,  would  remain  on  watch  in  different  parts  of 
the  prison,  to  ward  off  eavesdroppers,  and  be  ready  to  give 
the  signal  and  help  the  two  workmen  up  on  the  first  ap- 
proach of  day.  This  accomplished,  the  bricks  were  care- 
fully replaced,  covered  over  with  soot  and  dirt,  which  was 
always  plentiful  behind  the  stoves,  and  in  this  condition 
the  place  was  left  secure  from  observation  until  night 
came  on  again.  This  operation  was  repeated  every  night 
for  more  than  seven  weeks. 

The  authorities  made  regular  tours  of  inspection 
through  the  prison  every  day,  while  hundreds  of  prisoners 
were  in  this  room  and  about  these  stoves,  engaged  in 
cooking  from  early  morning  till  9  o'clock  at  night;  and 
yet  not  more  than  twenty  or  twenty-five  men  ever  knew 
of  the  work  until  it  was  nearly  all  accomplished.  From 
the  bottom  of  the  cellar  an  opening  was  first  made 
through  the  stone  wall,  some  four  or  five  feet  thick,  and 
then  the  work  of  excavating  began.  Clam  shells  and  case 
knives  were  the  principal  tools  used,  and  with  these  simple 
instruments  a  tunnel  sixteen  inches  in  diameter,  eight  or 
nine  feet  below  the  surface  of  the  ground  and  about  sixty 
feet  long  was  dug. 

As  the  work  progressed,  difficulty  in  removing  the  dirt 
from  the  tunnel  was  experienced.  To  overcome  this,  a 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  147 

spittoon  from  one  of  the  rooms  above,  a  box  about  eight 
inches  square  and  five  inches  deep,  was  taken  down  into 
the  cellar;  and  the  man  digging  inside  would  pull  the  box 
in  by  means  of  a  cord  attached  to  one  side,  and  after  fill- 
ing it  with  dirt,  give  a  signal,  when  the  man  in  the  cellar, 
by  another  string  would  pull  the  box  out  and  empty  it. 
By  this  wearisome  process  the  whole  mass  of  dirt  was 
removed. 

The  back  end  of  the  cellar  or  basement  was  not  used 
by  the  authorities,  and  was  seldom  invaded  by  any  person 
or  thing  except  rats.  It  was  filled  several  feet  deep  with 
straw,  which  had  been  placed  there  for  hospital  purposes, 
though  not  in  use  at  that  time. 

As  the  dirt  from  the  tunnel  came  out,  it  was  spread 
evenly  over  the  bottom  of  the  cellar  and  covered  with  this 
straw,  thus  concealing  it  from  observation  through  the 
day.  The  front  part  of  the  cellar  was  used  as  a  store 
room,  and  attaches  of  the  prison  were  in  and  out  by  day, 
but  seldom,  if  ever,  at  night. 

When  the  tunnel  had  reached  a  distance  of  twenty  feet, 
the  air  became  so  foul  that  one  man  had  to  fan  the  open 
mouth  while  the  other  was  digging.  Even  then,  at  times, 
a  candle  would  not  burn.  Yet  to  dig  successfully  light 
was  found  to  be  necessary  as  well  as  air.  This  was  ob- 
tained by  stealthily  taking  a  portion  of  the  candles  fur- 
nished the  various  rooms  each  night. 

Those  who  had  been  let  into  the  secret  of  the  tunnel 
now  began  to  put  themselves  in  readiness  for  the  exodus, 
which  it  was  believed  would  mark  the  real  beginning  of 
their  trials.  To  harden  our  limbs  and  muscles,  persistent 
and  continued  walking  and  other  physical  exercises  were 
resorted  to.  My  comrade  and  myself  once  walked  a  dis- 
tance of  twenty-two  miles  around  the  room  in  a  single 


148  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

day.  Athletic  games,  such  as  running,  jumping  and  box- 
ing, were  also  in  vogue.  A  favorite  exercise  was  that  of 
placing  two  sticks  on  end,  each  within  a  circle  about  three 
inches  in  diameter  and  three  feet  apart,  marked  on  the 
floor  at  one  end  of  the  room.  Then  two  men,  starting 
evenly  from  the  other  end  (110  feet  distant)  would  run  to 
see  which  could  pick  up  one  of  the  sticks,  set  it  up 
squarely  on  end  within  another  circle  near  by,  and  get 
back  to  the  starting  point  first.  This  was  a  pretty  fair 
test  of  speed,  and  agility,  and  proved  a  valuable  exercise. 

The  rigors  of  one  of  the  severest  winters  known  to  the 
history  of  the  country  added  greatly  to  the  discomfort  of 
the  prisoners  at  this  time.  The  James  River  in  front  of 
the  prison  was  frozen  over  solidly  and  occupied  by  skating 
parties  for  days  at  a  time.  While  watching  the  skaters 
from  the  upper  windows  of  the  prison  one  day  the  ice 
gave  way  and  five  or  six  young  men  were  precipitated  into 
the  river  and  drowned.  Cries  were  plainly  heard  at  the 
prison,  and  the  people  were  seen  rushing  to  and  fro  in  a 
vain  endeavor  to  rescue  the  unfortunate  victims. 

The  Confederate  authorities,  seeing  the  destitution 
among  the  prisoners,  and  their  suffering  from  the  cold, 
finally  agreed  to  a  proposition  which  in  the  end  proved 
of  great  advantage  to  both.  The  understanding  was  that 
they  would  impartially  distribute  for  our  use  and  comfort 
any  blankets  or  clothing  the  Government  might  send  for 
that  purpose.  This  was  no  sooner  known  at  the  North 
than  great  boxes  and  bundles  came  in  filled  with  the  neces- 
saries in  clothing  and  delicacies  to  eat.  From  this  time 
forward  the  general  condition  of  the  prisoners  was  greatly 
improved. 

While  these  articles  were  shipped  under  the  supervision 
of  the  Government,  they  were  in  fact  made  up  by  the 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  149 

Ladies'  Sanitary  Commission,  an  organization  that  extended 
throughout  the  Northern  States,  maintained  for  the  relief 
of  the  Federal  soldiers  in  the  field  and  very  largely  sup- 
ported by  the  loyal  women  of  that  section.  Young  and 
old  contributed  alike  to  its  maintenance.  Little  girls  not 
yet  in  their  teens  added  their  mite  to  the  general  fund. 
Well  it  was  for  these  devoted  women  that  their  overbur- 
dened hearts  found  a  modicum  of  relief,  while  their  busy 
hands  found  employment  in  the  preparation  of  lint  and 
bandages,  blankets,  socks,  shirts  and  underclothing  for  the 
sick  and  wounded  and  destitute  soldier  in  the  camp,  in 
the  field  and  in  the  prison  pen. 

In  the  main  the  agreement  was  fairly  carried  out  on 
the  part  of  the  Confederates,  but  in  time  these  good  things 
came  in  such  quantities  that  their  own  soldiers  (none  too 
well  provided  for  themselves)  began  quietly  to  open  the 
boxes  and  appropriate  such  articles  as  struck  their  fancy 
most.  So  the  guards  about  the  prison  and  many  Con- 
federate soldiers  on  the  streets  were  soon  sporting  Yankee 
uniforms.  However,  "It  is  an  ill  wind  that  does  not  blow 
good  to  some  one/'  as  will  be  seen  further  on  in  the  story 
of  an  overcoat  and 

A  NICE  PAIR  OF  STOCKINGS. 

Among  other  things  received  from  the  sanitary  fund 
was  a  pair  of  woolen  socks  such  as  "mother  used  to  knit." 
On  putting  them  on,  something  was  discovered  in  the  toe 
of  one  of  them.  Upon  investigation  it  proved  to  be  a 
note  written  in  a  delicate  female  hand  by  a  young  lady 
residing  in  the  city  of  Philadelphia,  who  had  herself — so 
the  note  informed  me — knit  the  socks,  and  she  took  the 
means  of  inviting  the  soldier  into  whose  hands,  or  upon 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

whose  feet,  the  socks  might  luckily  fall,  to  write  her  a 
letter  in  acknowledgment.  It  is  unnecessary,  perhaps,  to 
add  that  I  complied  with  her  request,  and  that  upon  this  a 
correspondence  ensued.  But,  alas !  our  letters  had  to  pass 
the  unsympathetic  eye  of  the  prison  censor  before  delight- 
ing the  senses  of  the  one  for  whom  they  were  especially 
written.  If,  however,  the  censor  viewed  them  as  I  did, 
certainly  no  adverse  criticism  could  arise,  for  "love/'  they 
say,  "is  blind/'  In  the  course  of  time  the  young  lady's 
picture  was  received,  and  with  it  an  invitation  to  visit  her 
at  her  home  in  Philadelphia.  But  owing  to  the  close 
proximity  of  soldiers  on  guard  from  without,  and  bolts 
and  bars  within,  my  movements  were  somewhat  circum- 
scribed, and,  however  ardent  may  have  been  my  desire,  I 
was  unable  to  comply  with  the  young  lady's  request.  It 
has  been  said  that  "love  laughs  at  locksmiths,"  but  in  this 
case  it  was  different.  You  couldn't  well  vanquish  a  stal- 
wart rebel  on  guard  by  laughing  at  him.  But  what  has 
ever  since  been  a  source  of  deep  regret,  in  the  hurry  and 
excitement  of  the  escape  that  followed  soon,  I  lost  the 
young  lady's  letters  and  her  picture,  and  the  fortunes  of 
war  caused  our  paths  to  diverge;  but  her  memory,  God 
bless  her,  in  the  kindly  act  through  which  our  brief 
acquaintance  began,  is  green  in  my  heart  to-day. 

Aside  from  a  cavalryman's  overcoat  and  other  articles 
of  clothing  I  drew  from  these  supplies,  there  came  from 
home  a  large  box  of  delicacies  and  extra  clothing,  made  up 
by  the  deft  and  loving  hands  of  my  mother  and  sister.  If 
it  were  possible  the  value  of  these  precious  things  could 
in  any  manner  have  been  enhanced  it  would  arise  from  the 
fact  that  many  of  them  were  contributed  by  the  girls  in 
the  town  in  which  my  mother  lived  and  where  I  had  pre- 
viously gone  to  school. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  151 

But  I  was  still  nearly  barefooted  and  destitute  of  a  hat, 
and,  before  the  escape  could  be  undertaken,  must  have  a 
suitable  covering  for 

BOTH  HEAD  AND  FEET, 

For  a  long  time  my  eyes  were  on  a  pair  of  boots  belong- 
ing to  Lieutenant  Mead,  of  a  Union  Kentucky  regiment, 
and  I  had  often  tried  to  negotiate  a  deal  for  them,  offer- 
ing Mead  many  of  the  choicest  things  that  came  in  my 
box  for  his  boots.  But  Mead,  who  was  not  in  the  secret 
of  the  tunnel  and  knew  nothing  of  the  special  purpose  for 
which  the  boots  were  wanted,  was  inexorable.  I  had  often 
tried  them  on  to  show  how  well  they  fitted  me,  even  better, 
I  thought,  than  they  fitted  Mead.  But  in  fact  I  had 
already  begun  to  consider  the  boots  mine,  for  when  the 
night  came  for  the  escape  I  lay  down  by  his  side,  ostensibly 
for  a  night's  rest,  though  the  thought  of  sleep  was  never 
farther  from  my  mind.  But  I  had  not  long  to  wait. 
Within  an  hour  Mead  was  wrapped  in  profound  slumber, 
when  I  quietly  pulled  on  the  boots,  and,  like  the  Arab, 
"folded  my  tent  and  silently  stole  away." 

Still  the  head  needed  protection  as  well  as  the  feet,  and, 
in  passing  out  among  my  sleeping  comrades,  I  stumbled 
upon  a  hat  which  later  proved  to  be  the  property  of  Lieu- 
tenant Thomas  H.  McKee,  of  the  1st  West  Virginia  Kegi- 
ment,  who  nightly  shared  the  luxuries  of  the  floor  with 
me  in  that  immediate  neighborhood.  Without  compunc- 
tion or  unnecessary  ceremony,  I  placed  the  hat  where  it 
would  do  the  most  good  for  the  present,  and  proceeded  on 
my  way,  afterward  learning,  to  my  regret,  that  McKee 
was  sick  that  night,  and  in  consequence  unable  to  partici- 
pate in  the  escape.  What  will  serve  as  a  sequel  to  the 
story  of  the  hat  and  boots  will  appear  later  on. 


153  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

There  was  no  way  of  judging  the  distance  across  the 
street  over  which  the  tunnel  ran,  save  as  the  ground  was 
measured  by  the  eye  from  the  windows  above.  So  when 
the  digging  had  proceeded  far  enough,  as  was  believed,  to 
reach  the  carriage  shed,  it  was  thought  best  by  those  in 
charge  to  prospect  by  means  of  a  small  hole  running  up- 
ward for  the  purpose.  This  opening  was  made  at  an  angle 
of  about  forty-five  degrees. 

A  short  time  before  some  workmen  had  been  employed 
making  repairs  and  strengthening  the  doors  and  windows. 
It  was  their  custom  to  leave  their  tools  in  the  prison  over 
night.  So,  improving  that  opportunity,  an  auger  and 
chisel  were  stolen  from  the  carpenters'  outfit  and  carried 
down  into  the  cellar  for  use  in  that  quarter,  and  these 
tools,  originally  designed  for  fastening  our  chains,  did 
good  service  in  forwarding  the  escape.  The  chisel  was  the 
principal  tool  in  use  the  night  the  prospecting  hole  was 
made.  The  man  engaged  in  digging  was  reaching  ahead 
into  a  small  opening,  letting  the  dirt  rattle  back  down  the 
inclined  plane,  when  suddenly  the  chisel  went  out  through 
the  surface  at  a  point  in  the  full  glare  of  a  street  lamp, 
and  not  more  than  ten  or  twelve  paces  from  where  a 
sentinel  walked.  The  noise  made  by  the  chisel  was  heard 
by  a  guard,  who  asked  another  near  by  if  he  had  heard 
any  unusual  noise,  and,  replying  in  the  affirmative,  the 
other  said:  "It  is  nothing  but  rats."  Upon  this  both 
guards  walked  on.  Their  conversation  was  plainly  over- 
heard by  the  real  "rat"  under  the  ground  but  a  few  feet 
away.  The  hole  was  then  stopped  up  with  little  stones, 
an  old  trousers  leg  stuffed  with  dirt  and  whatever  material 
could  be  utilized  for  the  purpose,  and  the  main  tunnel  then 
went  on  some  ten  or  fifteen  feet  farther.  The  plan  was 
wisely  adopted  to  let  as  many  prisoners  into  the  secret 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  153 

when  the  work  was  completed  as  could  well  get  out  in  a 
single  night,  and  then,  by  leaving  someone  behind  to  cover 
up  the  excavations  in  the  walls,  prevent  the  discovery  of 
the  tunnel,  so  that  eventually  others  might  escape,  by  the 
same  means, 

FEOM  LIBBY  TO  LIBERTY. 

Accordingly,  on  the  night  of  the  9th  of  February,  1864, 
everything  being  in  readiness,  about  two  hundred  men, 
who  at  this  time  had  been  taken  into  the  secret,  were 
assembled  in  the  cook  room  after  9  o'clock,  ready  to  take 
the  desperate  chance  of  escape.  This  was  a  trying  moment. 
The  digging  of  the  tunnel  had  been  a  gigantic  under- 
taking, accompanied  with  great  anxiety,  hardship  and 
privation;  and,  completed  at  last,  it  only  opened  the  way 
to  dangers  no  man  could  forecast. 

Aside  from  Colonel  Rose,  one  of  the  first  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  the  exodus  was  Colonel  A.  D.  Streight,  of  the 
51st  Indiana,  who  was  being  held  by  the  Confederates  as 
a  hostage,  and,  according  to  the  report  of  the  escape  as 
given  by  the  Richmond  Dispatch,  printed  elsewhere,  "a 
notorious  character  charged  with  having  raised  a  negro 
regiment."  Streight,  it  was  thought  by  the  prisoners,  was 
being  unnecessarily  persecuted  by  the  Confederates,  and, 
for  a  portion  of  the  time  at  least,  during  the  process  of 
the  tunneling  was  confined  in  one  of  the  dungeons;  but, 
having  been  released  and  returned  to  the  rooms  above  just 
before  the  escape,  he  was  made  one  of  the  first  to  go 
through  the  tunnel,  and,  with  two  or  three  other  officers, 
was  secreted  and  cared  for  in  Richmond  for  a  week  or 
more  by  Miss  Bettie  Vanlew,  finally  making  good  his 
escape.  This  lady,  after  the  surrender,  was  appointed 
postmistress  of  Richmond  by  President  Grant  in  considera- 


154  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

tion  of  her  kindness  to  the  Union  prisoners.  Although  it 
soon  after  was  known  that  she  had  performed  this  act  of 
loyalty  to  the  Union  cause,  it  is  believed  she  was  never  in 
any  way  disturbed  by  the  people  of  Richmond. 

Some  fifteen  or  twenty  had  gone  down  through  the  hole 
in  the  wall  into  the  cellar,  and  my  turn  had  just  come, 
when  a  noise  at  the  outside  door  caused  a  report  to  be 
circulated  to  the  effect  that  those  who  had  already  passed 
through  the  tunnel  had  been  captured  and  that  the  guards 
were  coming  in  to  take  the  whole  party  in  arrest.  This 
was  made  the  signal  for  a  general  stampede  across  the 
room,  a  distance  of  one  hundred  and  ten  feet,  to  the 
stairway  in  the  corner  leading  up  to  the  rooms  where  the 
prisoners  belonged.  My  partner,  who  was  equipped  with 
a  haversack  containing  a  scant  supply  of  rations  saved  for 
the  occasion  and  a  map  of  the  country,  which  together  we 
had  drawn  up  with  a  pencil,  ran  back  with  the  crowd.  I 
remained  behind  the  stoves  and  reflected  a  minute,  and, 
listening  at  the  door,  could  hear  no  one  coming  in.  "And 
if  they  do,"  I  thought,  "they  know  nothing  of  this  hole 
and  nothing  of  the  tunnel,  and  anyhow  I  may  just  as  well 
go  down  and  out,  it  can  be  no  worse  for  me."  Accord- 
ingly, down  through  the  hole  in  the  wall  I  went,  without 
any  thought  of  the  obligation  I  was  under  to  the  Con- 
federacy for  six  months'  board  and  lodging. 

On  reaching  the  tunnel  I  found  Lieutenant  A.  P.  White, 
of  Erie,  Pennsylvania,  just  going  in.  He  said:  "Wells, 
I  will  wait  for  you  at  the  shed/'  I  remained  at  the  open- 
ing until  he  made  his  way  through,  for  on  account  of 
foul  air  it  was  dangerous  for  more  than  one  person  to 
enter  the  tunnel  at  a  time.  I  was  soon  through,  dragging 
my  overcoat  on  my  legs  with  one  hand  behind  me,  the 
other  being  ahead,  and  found  on  emerging  that  White 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  155 

had  gone  and  that  I  was  alone.  Stretching  myself  up  at 
full  length  I  breathed  the  fresh  air  for  the  first  time  in 
six  long  months.  After  standing  so  long  on  the  hard  floor 
the  soft  ground  under  my  feet  was  noticeable  at  once,  and 
involuntarily  I  looked  overhead  and  about  me,  as  if  to 
assure  myself  that  it  was  not  all  a  dream.  My  determina- 
tion to  accomplish  what  had  thus  been  undertaken  was 
still  strong  and  I  resolved  to  push  on,  and  by  continued 
efforts  realize  the  benefits  of  the  labors  already  performed 
or  perish  in  the  attempt.  Every  nerve  was  strung  to  the 
highest  tension,  all  fear  had  vanished  and  my  senses  were 
alert  and  quick  as  those  of  a  wild  animal. 

From  the  shed  we  had  to  pass  through  a  gate  which 
opened  on  Canal  Street.  Along  this  street,  to  within  ten 
steps  of  the  gate,  a  sentinel  walked,  who,  on  reaching  the 
end  of  his  beat,  would  face  about  and  go  a  distance  of 
forty  paces  the  other  way.  Taking  advantage  of  the  time 
when  his  back  was  turned  the  prisoners  would  open  the 
gate,  and,  stepping  out  on  Canal  Street,  pass  out  of  sight. 
In  this  manner  all  emerged  from  the  shed,  one  by  one,  or 
sometimes  in  parties  of  two  or  three,  as  the  case  might  be. 
It  would  have  been  very  injudicious  to  have  formed  larger 
parties.  The  alarm  causing  the  prisoners  to  stampede 
from  the  cook  room  proved  to  be  a  false  one,  and  that  night 
one  hundred  and  nine  men  got  out,  it  being  daylight,  how- 
ever, when  the  last  one  reached  the  shed.  Among  this 
number  was  my  partner,  but  after  four  days  of  ceaseless 
endeavor  he  was  recaptured.  Of  the  whole  number  who 
went  through  the  tunnel  only  forty-three  were  successful 
in  reaching  the  Federal  lines;  all  others  were  eventually 
overtaken,  carried  back  and  placed  in  the  dungeons  below. 

Watching  my  opportunity,  I  slipped  out  in  the  manner 
just  described  and  walked  two  squares  eastward  on  Canal 


156  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Street.  I  had  no  fixed  plan  for  getting  out  of  the  city, 
but  was  guided  wholly  by  impulse  and  by  circumstances 
as  presented,  though  my  general  purpose  was  by  some 
means,  if  possible,  to  place  the  Chickahominy  River  (which 
to  the  northward  is  not  more  than  six  miles  distant  from 
Richmond)  between  myself  and  my  pursuers  that  night. 
The  especial  object  in  so  doing  was  to  baffle  any  pursuit 
that  might  be  made  with  dogs,  for,  though  at  liberty,  I 
was 

NOT  YET  FREE. 

The  Federal  uniform  and  overcoat  I  wore  was  rather  an 
advantage  than  otherwise,  for  the  Confederate  soldiers, 
as  stated  elsewhere,  had  appropriated  clothing  sent  by  our 
Government  and  were  then  commonly  wearing  our  over- 
coats on  the  streets.  After  reaching  the  borders  of  the 
city,  beyond  the  street  lamps,  I  took  the  center  of  the  road 
and  made  my  way  as  quietly  and  rapidly  as  possible,  but 
soon  discovered  a  light  in  front.  Dropping  upon  the 
ground  and  watching  closely  I  saw  a  sentinel  pass  the 
light  with  musket  at  a  right  shoulder.  The  place  I  took 
to  be  a  guardhouse  or  perhaps  a  hospital.  Then  creeping 
on  my  hands  and  knees  some  distance  around,  thus  flanked 
the  light  and  the  sentinel,  and  soon  after  came  to  the 
fortifications  around  the  city.  Here  there  was  great  danger 
and  difficulty  in  eluding  detection  and  arrest.  On  these 
fortifications  were  large  siege  guns  in  position  and  sentinels 
mounted  on  the  parapets.  For  more  than  an  hour  I  felt 
my  way  along,  never  standing  at  full  height,  and  most  of 
the  time  on  my  hands  and  knees.  This  caution  and  perse- 
verance brought  me  safely  out  upon  an  open  plain,  far 
beyond  the  city  and  its  defenses. 

Opining  to  a  thicket  of  brush  on  low  bottom  land,  cov- 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  157 

ered  here  and  there  with  water,  I  believed  myself  near  the 
Chickahominy.  To  test  this  fact  I  crawled  out  on  some 
flood  wood  over  the  body  of  water,  and,  breaking  off  a 
large  piece  of  light-colored  bark,  threw  it  in.  In  a  few 
minutes  I  had  the  pleasure  of  seeing  the  bark  move  away 
with  the  current  of  the  stream,  and  without  delay  proceeded 
to  place  the  Chickahominy  between  myself  and  Richmond. 
In  doing  this,  however,  I  was  compelled  to  wade  in  water 
and  mud  waist  deep. 

The  uplands  on  the  northern  banks  were  barely  reached, 
however,  when  daylight  came  on,  and  I  at  once  sought  a 
hiding  place  by  crawling  inside  an  old  enclosure  which 
had  grown  up  to  a  dense  thicket  of  laurel.  As  daylight 
came  on  I  could  hear  the  voices  of  Confederate  soldiers 
encamped  near  the  river  a  half  mile  away.  About  9  o'clock 
A.  M.  a  company  of  cavalry,  some  twenty  or  thirty  in 
number,  came  up  the  road  from  the  camp,  and,  rising  to 
my  feet,  I  could  see  their  heads  as  they  passed  on  the 
gallop,  not  more  than  two  hundred  yards  distant. 

These,  as  I  readily  divined,  were  in  pursuit  of  escaped 
prisoners,  for  that  morning  at  the  accustomed  roll-call 
one  hundred  and  nine  failed  to  answer  to  their  names.  It 
appears  that  Confederate  cavalry,  infantry  and  trained 
dogs  were  at  once  brought  into  requisition  to  hunt  down 
the  fugitives.  A  rigorous  search  was  also  instituted  by 
the  authorities  to  discover,  if  possible,  the  means  through 
which  the  exodus  was  made.  But  some  of  the  prisoners 
remaining  behind,  in  accordance  with  a  previous  arrange- 
ment, took  the  precaution  to  stop  up  the  places  of  egress, 
and  at  the  same  time  pried  off  a  bar  from  a  window  and 
hung  out  a  rope,  made  by  tying  together  strips  of  blankets. 
This  ruse  led  the  authorities  to  suppose  the  escape  had 
been  accomplished  by  going  out  through  the  window,  hav- 


i58  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

ing  first  bribed  the  guards.  In  this,  of  course,  they  were 
deceived,  and  the  guards  and  officers  on  duty  were  arrested 
and  sent  to  the  guardhouse,  all  the  while  protesting  their 
innocence.  Search  was  made  throughout  the  day,  but  it 
was  not  until  nearly  nightfall  that  a  colored  boy,  chancing 
to  go  into  the  shed,  discovered  the  hole  where  the  prisoners 
had  emerged.  But  the  Confederates  did  not  learn  by  what 
means  the  prisoners  reached  the  cellar  for  many  months 
thereafter. 

My  hiding  place  for  the  day  was  on  a  gentle  slope  at  the 
lower  side  of  which  was  a  spring  where  some  colored 
women  came  to  do  washing.  At  times  I  could  understand 
their  conversation,  and  as  the  cavalry  passed  up  the  road, 
I  heard  them  say  something  about  "de  Yankee  pris'ners." 
Chickens  and  hogs  came  about  through  the  day,  all  seem- 
ing to  view  me  suspiciously,  the  hogs  especially.  These 
would  dash  away  with  a  loud  boo-a-boo,  after  looking  at 
me  intently  for  a  moment.  This  noise  made  me  a  little 
nervous,  as  it  increased  the  chances  of  my  discovery  and 
capture. 

Night  again  coming  down,  after  first  taking  an  obser- 
vation, I  moved  on,  and  presently  came  to  a  road  which  I 
ventured  to  follow  for  a  short  distance,  before  turning  into 
the  brush  again.  In  passing,  I  noticed  some  saw  logs,  and 
it  occurred  to  me  there  must  be  a  mill  not  far  off.  Soon, 
at  a  point  where  the  road  forked,  I  saw  a  man  coming 
toward  me,  and  believing  that  everybody  must  by  this 
time  be  up  in  arms  about  the  escape,  this  gave  me  great 
anxiety.  But  knowing  it  would  not  do  to  show  signs  of 
hesitation  or  fear,  I  accosted  the  unwelcome  stranger  at 
once  and  said:  "Good  evening,  sir,  can  you  tell  me  which 
of  these  roads  leads  to  the  mill?"  Of  course  I  was  making 
-a  blind  guess  as  I  had  no  positive  knowledge  of  the  exist- 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  159 

ence  of  a  "mill"  in  that  neighborhood.  He  said,  "To 
Game's  mill?"  and  I  answered,  "Yes,"  and  then  told  him 
I  had  an  uncle  living  down  there  somewhere,  by  the  name 
of  Jackson,  and  asked  if  he  knew  any  member  of  that 
family.  He  said  he  thought  there  was  a  Henry  Jackson 
not  far  from  the  mill,  and  I  assured  him  that  "Henry" 
was  my  "uncle"  and  the  very  man  I  was  looking  for;  and 
then  told  him  I  belonged  to  the  1st  Virginia  Infantry,  and 
had  obtained  a  furlough  for  a  few  days  for  the  purpose  of 
paying  my  relatives  a  visit.  Thanking  him  kindly  I  hur- 
ried on,  without  further  inquiry  as  to  the  whereabouts  of 
my  Uncle  Henry. 

Toward  morning,  I  came  to  a  cross  roads  where  there 
was  a  mile-post  and  fingerboard.  I  climbed  the  post,  and 
holding  on  by  one  hand  with  the  other  struck  a  match. 
On  the  board  was  an  index  finger  pointing  nearly  in  the 
direction  I  had  been  traveling  for  the  past  two  hours, 
and  beneath  it  the  words,  "Twelve  miles  to  Eichmond." 
So  for  nearly  two  hours  I  must  have  been  going  in  the 
direction  of  Richmond  instead  of  away  from  it.  I  had 
then  been  out  the  greater  part  of  two  nights  and  made 
but  twelve  miles  on  my  journey.  By  this  time  hunger, 
fatigue  and  loss  of  sleep  were  closing  in  upon  me  with  a 
deathlike  grip.  I  pushed  on  however,  though  from  sheer 
exhaustion  often  stumbled  and  fell  to  the  ground.  In 
going  through  an  open  woodland  I  unexpectedly  came 
upon  an  encampment  of  Confederate  teamsters;  doubtless 
a  Quartermaster's  train  carrying  provisions  to  the  army 
about  Richmond.  Some  of  the  men  were  up  knocking 
about  among  the  mules  and  wagons.  It  was  very  dark. 
Assuming  the  role  of  a  driver  and  bursting  out  in  the 
vernacular  common  to  the  class,  I  walked  up  to  an  unsus- 
pecting mule,  and  giving  him  a  kick  in  the  ribs,  in  a 


160  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

gruff  voice  commanded  him  to  "stand  around."  Repeat- 
ing movements  of  this  character  two  or  three  times  I 
found  my  way  through  the  encampment  without  interrup- 
tion. 

When  morning  came,  I  again  sought  a  hiding  place. 
Shivering  and  hungry  throughout  that  day,  and  unable 
to  move  for  fear  of  detection,  I  had  a  good  opportunity 
to  reflect  upon  the  mutability  of  human  affairs,  and  the 
vicissitudes  of  a  soldier's  life.  Night  coming  on  again, 
I  took  my  bearings,  and  was  about  to  start  out  when  I 
overheard  footsteps  in  the  brush  not  far  distant,  and 
crouching  down  like  a  frightened  rabbit,  awaited  develop- 
ments. Nearer  and  nearer  the  steps  came.  I  thought  I  had 
been  discovered  and  that  my  time  had  come,  for  now  the 
steps  of  two  persons  were  distinguishable.  Soon  into 
plain  sight,  almost  on  tiptoe,  walked  two  escaped 
prisoners, 

RANDALL  AND  McCAIN. 

The  former  was  of  the  2d  Ohio,  and  the  latter  of  the 
21st  Illinois  Regiments.  I  recognized  and  hailed  them  in 
a  whisper.  They  shared  with  me  from  their  scant  rations 
of  corn  bread,  and  then  for  the  first  time  in  thirty-six 
hours  I  tasted  food.  We  now  traveled  together  and  once 
or  twice  during  the  remainder  of  the  week  obtained  provis- 
ions of  colored  men  who  were  true  to  the  escaped 
prisoners  as  the  needle  to  the  pole. 

We  had  traveled  four  nights,  ,all  the  time  in  the  woods, 
and  Sunday  morning  found  us  well  nigh  exhausted.  Now 
coming  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  impossible  to 
continue  the  journey  by  night  we  laid  down  for  an  hour's 
rest  before  starting  out  for  the  first  time  by  daylight. 
Following  up  a  ravine,  we  soon  came  into  an  open  field 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  161 

inside  of  which  was  a  school  house  or  church;  and  people, 
evidently  attending  service,  had  already  begun  to  as- 
semble. Two  roads  crossed  at  the  school  house  not  more 
than  one  hundred  and  fifty  yards  distant  from  our  hiding 
place  in  the  brush.  Several  dogs  came  uncomfortably 
near,  and  while  we  were  debating  what  course  to  pursue, 
about  seventy-five  cavalrymen  rode  by  and  halted  at  the 
corner  near  the  school  house.  Eandall  volunteered  to 
crawl  around  below  to  see  if  it  were  possible  for  us  to  cross 
in  that  direction  unobserved.  He  disappeared  in  the 
brush,  and  we  never  saw  him  again,  but  the  report  of 
three  or  four  shots  fired  in  the  direction  he  had  taken  led 
us  to  suppose  he  had  been  shot  and  possibly  killed  or  re- 
captured.* 

One  of  the  dogs  now  discovered  McCain  and  myself  and 
commenced  barking  furiously.  We  started  back  down  the 
ravine,  keeping  as  far  as  possible  under  cover  of  the  brush. 
The  firing  below  and  the  barking  of  the  dog  had  set 
everybody  else  on  the  lookout,  and  the  soldiers  discovered 
us  and  gave  chase  down  a  lane,  but  we  finally  eluded  them 
and,  for  the  balance  of  the  day,  remained  in  the  swamp 
closely  secreted,  being  fully  satisfied  with  our  experience 
in  trying  to  travel  by  daylight;  but  night  coming  on,  the 
weary  march  was  resumed. 

Soon  reaching  an  opening  we  discovered  at  a  distance 
some  one  standing  in  the  doorway  of  a  cabin.  Thinking 
it  to  be  a  colored  man,  we  had  little  hesitancy  in  approach- 
ing him;  but  on  closer  inspection  found  instead  a  white 
man.  It  was  then  too  late  to  back  out  and  putting  on  a 
bold  front  we  walked  up  and  asked  for  something  to  eat; 
telling  him  we  were  Yankees  recently  escaped  from  Libby 

*It  has  since  been  learned  that  Randall  escaped,  and  re- 
turned home  where  he  died  a  number  of  years  ago. 


162  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Prison  and  were  likely  to  perish  for  want  of  something  to 
eat.  He  said  he  had  been  in  the  Confederate  service  and 
that  he  knew  something  of  the  life  of  a  soldier;  "But/' 
said  he,  "I  never  turned  a  hungry  man  from  my  door,  and 
do  not  propose  to  do  so  now."  Whereupon,  by  his  invita- 
tion, we  followed  him  into  the  house.  He  gave  us  half  a 
dozen  dry  biscuits,  stating  the  biscuits  comprised  his  entire 
stock  of  provisions  on  hand,  and  from  the  meager  and  scanty 
outfit  of  his  cabin  and  its  primitive  surroundings,  we  had 
reason  to  believe  he  was  telling  the  truth.  He  appeared 
friendly  from  the  start,  but  we  followed  him  closely  into 
the  house,  fearing  he  might  "present"  us  with  a  musket 
instead  of  meat.  He  was  kind  enough  to  tell  us  which 
way  to  go  to  avoid  detection  and  capture,  and  that  we 
were  only  a  short  distance  from  the  York  River  down 
which  a  gunboat  flying  the  American  flag  had  passed,  not 
more  than  an  hour  before.  Had  we  reached  York  River 
in  time  to  meet  this  boat  our  troubles  would  have  come  to 
an  end  at  once  and  there  would  have  been  a  different 
story  to  tell  of 

THE  FINAL  RESCUE. 

Our  objective  from  this  point  was  Yorktown  or  Williams- 
burg,  the  nearest  station  occupied  by  our  troops.  We  had 
gone  a  long  distance  out  of  the  way  and  must  now  travel 
south.  I  had  lost  my  hat  (or  rather,  McKee's  hat),  our 
clothing  hung  about  us  in  rags  and  all  the  time  we  were 
getting  weaker.  On  the  night  of  the  sixth  day  out  there 
came  on  a  severe  storm  of  sleet  and  rain,  and,  raking  up  a 
quantity  of  dry  leaves  by  the  side  of  a  large  log  in  a  dense 
thicket,  we  covered  the  leaves  with  boughs  and  crawled 
under,  lying  closely  together  for  shelter,  warmth  and  rest. 
How  long  we  had  lain  there  is  uncertain,  but  presently 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  163 

I  was  awakened  by  McCain,  who  said  we  must  get  up 
and  go  on,  as  we  were  likely  to  become  stupefied  and 
perish  from  the  cold.  In  this  I  agreed  with  him,  but 
neither  one  made  any  effort  to  rise.  While  lying  in  this 
state  of  half  consciousness  I  found  my  memory  was  failing 
and  just  then  could  not  recall  my  brother's  name.  But 
suddenly,  as  if  by  a  concert  of  thought  and  action,  we 
sprang  to  our  feet,  and  soon  found  ourselves  in  an  open 
field  near  a  road  which  proved  to  be  the  Williamsburg 
Pike,  though  at  the  time  we  were  in  doubt  as  to  the  fact. 
We  concluded  to  follow  it  in  the  direction  of  Williams- 
burg,  as  we  believed,  but  for  safety  kept  back  a  little 
distance  in  the  field.  Presently  we  heard  cavalry  coming 
ahead  of  us.  We  had  already  had  a  little  experience  with 
Confederate  cavalry  and  were  not  anxious  to  repeat  it,  but 
these  might  be  our  friends.  We  were  on  neutral  ground, 
at  least,  and  very  near  our  own  lines.  It  was  a  great  risk 
to  hail  them  and  a  great  risk  to  let  them  pass  by  unchal- 
lenged, for  it  was  becoming  apparent  we  could  not  stand 
the  pressure  much  longer.  Approaching  within  a  few 
paces  of  the  road  we  secreted  ourselves  in  the  weeds  and 
brush.  By  the  clatter  of  the  iron  scabbards  I  knew  the 
cavalrymen  were  armed  with  sabers  (it  was  too  dark  to 
see),  and  told  McCain  this  was  to  me  an  evidence  the 
coming  troops  belonged  to  our  side,  for  the  Confederate 
cavalry,  as  a  rule,  were  not  so  armed.  They  came  up  and 
passed,  but  nothing  occurred  and  no  word  was  spoken  to 
give  us  any  clew  to  their  identity.  The  situation  was  any- 
thing but  pleasant.  The  cold,  freezing  rain  was  coming 
down  in  sheets  and  our  bones  were  chilled  to  the  marrow. 
The  main  column  had  passed  and  the  rear  guard,  about 
twenty  in  number,  were  in  front  of  us.  We  could  endure 
the  suspense  no  longer  and  resolved  to  hail  them,  and  if 


1 64  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

it  proved  to  be  the  enemy,  trust  to  the  mercy  of  the  dark- 
ness to  enable  us  to  get  away  without  being  shot  and  killed. 
Accordingly,  both  stood  up  and  I  cried  out,  "What  regi- 
ment is  that?" 

As  quick  as  thought  the  entire  squad,  wheeling  into  line 
along  the  fence,,  drew  their  pistols,  demanding  at  the  same 
time  our  immediate  surrender.  The  click  of  the  hammers, 
which  we  could  hear  as  they  came  into  position,  added  to 
the  horror  of  the  moment,  and  I  said  to  McCain,  "We 
are  gone  up."  With,  this  he  seemed  to  agree  and  replied 
that  we  had  better  surrender,  as  our  lives  depended  upon 
it,  and  no  time  was  to  be  lost.  Accordingly,  we  threw  up 
our  hands  and  together  cried  out,  "We  will  surrender." 
On  going  to  the  fence  we  found  ourselves  in  the  hands  of 
a  detachment  of  the  llth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry,  sent  out 
as  a  rescuing  party,  who  had  made  every  necessary  pro- 
vision for  our  immediate  comfort  and  safety. 

It  appears  that  some  of  the  prisoners  were  so  fortunate 
as  to  reach  Williamsburg  within  three  or  four  days  from 
the  time  of  starting  out  from  Richmond,  bringing  with 
them  the  intelligence  that  a  large  number  had  escaped  on 
the  night  of  the  9th  (no  one  knowing  at  the  time  how 
many)  and  that  many  were  still  out  hiding  in  the  swamps 
and  along  the  river  bottoms,  dodging  their  pursuers  and 
seeking  a  safe  route  on  which  to  reach  the  Federal  lines. 
Thereupon  General  Butler,  in  command  of  the  Department 
of  the  James,  having  headquarters  at  Fortress  Monroe, 
with  characteristic  promptness  and  energy  dispatched  gun- 
boats to  patrol  the  York,  the  James  and  Chickahominy 
Rivers,  and  at  the  same  time  sent  all  available  cavalry 
scouting  the  country  in  the  direction  of  Richmond  with 
orders  to  aid  in  every  possible  manner  the  fleeing  captives. 
The  spirit  and  energy  with  which  the  troops  entered  upon 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  165 

this  work  is  evidenced  by  the  fact  that  nine  officers  were 
picked  up  the  night  in  question  by  this  one  squadron  of 
the  llth  Pennsylvania  Eegiment.  They  had  brought  with 
them  led  horses  already  saddled  for  the  prisoners  to  ride, 
and  in  their  haversacks  carried  soft  bread  and  meat  in 
abundance,  including  a  ration  or  two  of  whisky  for  all 
hands.  This  was  furnished  in  limited  quantities,  and  once 
more  mounted  upon  a  good  horse,  equipped  with  a  pistol 
and  a  full  stomach,  my  strength  and  courage  returned  by 
leaps  and  bounds. 

We  had  proceeded,  however,  but  a  short  distance  when 
the  challenge,  "Halt,  who  goes  there  ?"  rang  out  upon  the 
still  air  of  night.  This  suggested  to  my  mind  the  possi- 
bility of  other  prisoners,  and,  riding  hurriedly  forward,  a 
few  paces  from  the  head  of  the  column,  standing  close 
together  in  the  middle  of  the  road,  the  forms  of  three  men 
were  discernible.  On  dismounting  and  going  up  to  them 
I  found  they  were  fellow-prisoners — H.  C.  Hobart,  of  the 
21st  Wisconsin;  Thomas  S.  West,  of  the  24th  Wisconsin, 
and  William  B.  McCreary,  of  the  21st  Michigan  Eegiment 
— all  three  ranking  as  Colonel  of  the  infantry  service. 

Colonel  Hobart  was  then  past  the  meridian  of  life,  quite 
gray  and  stooped  in  form,  and  a  good  many  years  my 
senior.  Many  a  night  we  had  lain  close  together,  sharing 
in  common  the  luxuries  of  a  hard  wood  floor  for  a  bed 
in  the  "upper  middle  room5'  of  the  "Hotel  de  Libby." 
Here  during  the  weary  hours  I  had  listened  to  his  engaging 
conversation,  and  meantime  quite  an  intimate  acquaint- 
ance and  friendship  had  sprung  up  between  us.  Colonel 
Hobart  had  been  prominent  in  State  affairs  in  Wisconsin 
long  before  entering  the  army.  He  was  in  the  Territorial 
Legislature  in  1846^  a  member  of  the  first  State  Senate, 
and  in  the  autumn  ipf  1865  a  candidate  for  Governor  on 


166  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

the  Democratic  ticket.  Colonel  Hobart  was  a  man  of  more 
than  ordinary  accomplishments  and  intellectual  power. 
Being  much  younger,  I  had  learned  to  look  upon  him 
with  an  admiration  amounting  almost  to  reverence.  Kecog- 
nizing  him  here  bedraggled,  worn  and  travel-stained  as  he 
was,  I  dismounted  and  with  my  arms  about  him  supported 
him  for  a  minute  or  more,  while  his  arms  lay  around  my 
neck.  Not  a  word  was  spoken  by  either  during  the  time. 
Officers  and  soldiers  of  the  command  gathered  around  and 
stood  respectfully  awaiting  the  outcome  of  this  affecting 
scene,  and  the  silence  was  only  broken  when  Colonel 
Hobart,  his  eyes  cast  upward  and  with  tears  streaming 
down  his  face,  exclaimed,  "This  is  the  happiest  moment  I 
ever  expect  to  see  on  earth."  % 

West  and  McCreary  were  both  in  the  prime  of  life, 
though  the  latter  had  lost  the  use  of  one  arm  entirely 
from  a  wound  received  at  the  battle  of  Chickamauga  at 
the  time  of  his  capture.  But  patriotic  pride  and  the  warm 
blood  of  youth  are  not  always  proof  against  the  ravages 
of  a  service  such  as  these  men  had  undergone.  West  died 
soon  after  the  close  of  the  war,  McCreary  survived  longer, 
but  Colonel  Hobart,  the  eldest  of  the  trio,  lived  to  a  ripe 
old  age. 

Determined  upon  further  results  in  aid  of  the  escaped 
prisoners,  the  squadron  moved  on  in  the  darkness  until 
about  3  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when  came  that  most 
welcome  of  all  events  to  a  tired  soldier, 

THE  BIVOUAC. 

Eiding  out  into  the  timber  a  short  distance  from  the 
road  a  rousing  fire  was  soon  built  and  coffee  put  on.  If 
there  is  one  thing  more  than  another  calculated  to  gladden 
a  soldier's  heart  and  warm  his  body  in  an  emergency  like 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  167 

this,  it  is  a  cup  of  coffee  so  prepared,  and  then — another 
cup.  Around  this  fire,  with  steaming  coffee  in  hand,  but 
still  booted  and  spurred,  the  soldiers  are  now  gathered. 
The  glare  of  the  uncertain  light  sets  weird  shadows  danc- 
ing among  the  forest  trees  until  trees  and  shadows  merge 
into  impenetrable  darkness  a  short  distance  beyond.  Ques- 
tions are  rapidly  plied  and  answers  given;  the  adventures 
of  the  night  just  passed  and  of  the  days  and  nights  pre- 
ceding are  told  with  a  depth  of  feeling  and  received  with 
an  attention  not  attainable  under  any  other  conditions  in 
which  the  writer  has  been  placed. 

The  three  officers  just  named,  having  passed  through 
the  tunnel  at  the  same  time,  had  made  the  trip  from 
Richmond  together.  And  (as  now  related  by  Colonel 
Hobart)  one  night  when  nearly  exhausted  from  cold  and 
hunger,  thinking  thereby  to  get  some  relief,  they  ap- 
proached a  negro  cabin,  through  the  cracks  of  which  there 
was  distinguishable  a  faint  ray  of  light.  Two  remained 
secreted  in  the  brush,  while  Colonel  Hobart  went  stealthily 
to  the  door  of  the  cabin,  upon  which  he  tapped  very  softly. 
Listening  intently  for  a  time,  there  came  no  response  or 
sound  from  within.  But  presently  the  door  very  slowly 
and  without  noise  began  to  swing,  and  an  old  black  face 
appeared  in  the  opening.  The  Colonel,  already  resolved 
to  place  himself  at  the  mercy  of  the  negro,  was  about  to 
state  his  case  and  plead  for  aid  when  the  old  black  man, 
placing  his  finger  on  his  lips  in  admonition  of  silence, 
hissed  out :  "H-u-s-h  !"  and  in  a  low  whisper  said :  "Done 
speak,  dars  a  rebel  picket  stannin'  neah  heah,  youse  ull 
shu  be  coch  af  ye  makes  de  leese  noise !"  And  then  step- 
ping cautiously  back,  making  the  opening  a  little  wider, 
he  motioned  his  visitor  to  enter,  after  which  he  closed  and 
bolted  the  door  on  the  inside.  In  a  very  short  time  Colonel 


1 68  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Hobart  emerged  with  a  large  roll  under  his  arm,  contain- 
ing fried  chicken,  bread  and  boiled  ham.  Thus  substan- 
tially refreshed,  and  with  the  old  negro  for  a  guide,  the 
weary  travelers  were  enabled  to  evade  an  encampment  of 
Confederate  soldiers  near  by  and  proceed  safely  on  their 
journey. 

What  intuition  or  knowledge  aforethought  was  it  that 
told  this  ignorant  old  man,  before  a  word  had  been  spoken 
by  either,  that  his  visitor  was  an  escaped  Yankee  prisoner 
in  distress  and  coming  to  him  for  aid  ?  But  such  seems  to 
have  been  the  case.  It  is  a  fact  that  the  negroes  of  the 
South  during  the  war  were  thoroughly  alive  to  the  situa- 
tion and  stood  ready  at  all  times,  even  at  the  risk  of  their 
lives,  to  aid  the  Northern  soldiers,  upon  whom  they  looked 
as  their  deliverers.  And  this  same  devotion  is  manifest 
in  their  loyalty  to  the  flag  and  the  Government  under 
which  they  live.  So  far  as  they  are  able  to  see  and  under- 
stand, held  in  bondage  though  they  were  for  two  hundred 
years,  they  are  religiously  devoted  to  our  institutions  and 
the  land  of  their  birth.  It  is  hoped  these  facts  will  be 
taken  into  account  by  patriotic  men,  both  North  and  South, 
and  thrown  into  the  scale  in  the  negroes'  favor  when  an 
adjustment  of  the  race  problem  comes,  as  come  it  must. 

It  is  no  disparagement  to  Colonel  Hobart  to  repeat  in 
this  connection  what  the  writer  has  since  been  told  by  his 
friends  and  neighbors  that,  Democrat  as  he  was  before  the 
war,  the  kindness  and  loyalty  of  this  old  man  had  an 
influence  in  later  years  in  changing  his  views  on  the  sub- 
ject of  slavery,  and  to  cause  him  often  to  cast  his  vote 
with  the  party  most  friendly  to  the  negro. 

Morning  soon  came  on,  and  after  some  deliberation  upon 
the  subject  the  entire  squadron  was  divided  into  small 
detachments  of  six  or  eight  men  each,  under  command  of 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  169 

a  non-commissioned  officer.  These  were  sent  scouting  the 
country  on  every  cross  road  and  bridal  path,  with  orders 
to  reassemble  at  an  appointed  rendezvous  on  the  main  road 
that  night,  and  in  this  manner  to 

CONTINUE  THE  HUNT. 

My  lot  was  cast  with  one  of  these  squads,  where  I  took 
my  place  in  the  ranks.  The  face  of  the  country  was  flat, 
sparsely  settled  and  covered  with  open  pine  timber.  The 
storm  had  abated,  and  though  the  day  was  fine,  the  march 
over  the  sandy  roads  was  likely  to  prove  monotonous  and 
uneventful.  But  one  never  knows,  when  scouting  on  neutral 
ground  between  two  contending  armies,  what  he  may  run 
into  or  what  an  hour  will  bring  forth. 

While  following  a  bridle  path  through  an  unbroken 
forest,  the  Sergeant  in  command  and  one  man  riding  in  the 
advance  suddenly  put  spurs  to  their  horses  and  passed  out 
of  sight,  firing  as  they  ran.  In  answer  to  the  command, 
"Forward,  men!"  the  whole  squad  was  soon  on  the  run, 
those  in  the  rear  having  to  "take  sand"  from  the  more 
fortunate  ones  in  the  lead.  The  fact  that  none  of  us 
knew  how  much  the  stake  being  run  for  was  or  how  far  off 
the  goal  might  be  did  not  lessen  the  effort  of  all  to  win 
the  race.  Soon  coming  into  the  open,  the  Sergeant  was 
seen  still  in  full  chase,  firing  at  a  mounted  man  then 
about  150  yards  ahead,  who  was  lying  close  to  his  horse, 
bareheaded  (occasionally  looking  back),  and  with  a  six- 
shooter  deliberately  returning  the  Sergeant's  fire. 

Here  was  a  race  and  a  shooting  match  in  one,  free  to 
all  comers,  with  "nothing  barred."  I  was  riding  a  good 
horse  and  was  already  ahead  of  the  main  squad;  the  gap 
between  myself  and  the  Sergeant  had  closed  and  the  object 
of  our  chase  did  not  seem  to  me  to  be  more  than  fifty 


1 70  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

yards  distant.  I  was  already  becoming  a  little  uneasy, 
fearing  I  might  have  to  be  the  first  to  overtake  this 
desperate  man,  whoever  he  might  be,  when  a  circumstance 
occurred  which  greatly  relieved  the  nervous  strain.  Riding 
swiftly  along  a  thicket  close  by  the  road  the  fugitive  sud- 
denly threw  himself  from  his  horse,  and,  taking  to  the 
brush  on  foot,  was  soon  out  of  sight  and  beyond  the  reach 
of  our  shots  and  of  further  pursuit.  Thus  ended  the  chase. 
The  riderless  horse  was  secured  farther  down  the  road,  and 
also  the  hat,  which  had  blown  off  earlier  in  the  race.  The 
Sergeant  now  explained  that  we  had  been  in  pursuit  of  a 
notorious  bushwhacker  by  the  name  of  Hume,  a  character 
well  known  to  our  troops  in  that  section,  who  had  given 
them  many  an  exciting  ride  before.  In  their  raids  through 
that  country  they  had  often  been  fired  upon  from  ambush 
by  this  same  man  and  his  followers,  and  our  soldiers  were 
keen  to  capture  him  dead  or  alive.  Riding  a  little  further 
on  we  unexpectedly  came  upon  news  from  Richmond. 

In  passing  a  large  farmhouse  on  the  road  an  old  gentle- 
man was  seen  sitting  on  the  porch  with  a  newspaper  in 
his  lap.  Believing  it  to  be  a  Richmond  paper  and  possibly 
containing  news  of  special  interest  to  me,  a  soldier  at  my 
request  rode  into  the  yard  and  asked  for  the  paper,  the  old 
gentleman  very  kindly  giving  it  to  him.  It  proved  to  be 
a  copy  of 

THE  RICHMOND  DISPATCH. 

The  paper  bore  date  February  11,  1864  (two  days  after 
the  escape),  and  contained  an  account  of  the  adventure  in 
full,  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy.  By  this  it  will 
be  seen  (using  the  language  of  the  Dispatch)  "The  whole 
thing  was  skillfully  managed  and  bears  the  impress  of 
master  minds  and  indomitable  perseverance." 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  171 

Important  Escape  of  Yankee  Prisoners — Over  Fifty  Feet  of 
ground  Tunnelled. — The  most  important  escape  of  Federal 
prisoners  which  has  occurred  during  the  war  took  place  at  the 
Libby  prison  sometime  during  last  Tuesday  night.  Of  the 
eleven  hundred  Yankee  officers  confined  therein,  one  hundred 
and  nine  failed  to  answer  to  their  names  at  roll-call  yesterday 
morning.  Embraced  in  this  number  were  11  Colonels,  7 
Majors,  32  Captains,  and  59  Lieutenants.  The  following  is  a 
list  of  the  Colonels  and  Majors: 

Col.  A.  D.  Streight,  51st  Indiana  regiment,  a  notorious 
character  captured  in  Tennessee  by  Gen.  Forrest,  and  charged 
with  having  raised  a  negro  regiment. 

Col.  W.  G.  Ely,  18th  Connecticut. 

Col.  J.  F.  Boyd,  20th  army  corps. 

Col.  H.  C.  Hobart,  21st  Wisconsin. 

Col.  W.  P.  Kendrick,  3d  West  Tenn.  cav. 

Col.  W.  B.  McCreary,  21st  Michigan. 

Col.  Thos.  E.  Rose,  77th  Pa. 

Col.  J.  P.  Spafford,  97th  N.  Y. 

Col.  C.  W.  Tilden,  16th  Maine. 

Col.  T.  S.  West,  24th  Wisconsin. 

Col.  D.  Miles,  19th  Pa. 

Major  J.  P.  Collins,  29th  Ind. 

Major  G.  W.  Fitzsimmons,  37th  Ind. 

Major  J.  H.  Hooper,  15th  Miss. 

Major  B.  B.  Macdonald,  100th  Ohio. 

Major  A.  Von  Mitzel,  74th  Pa. 

Major  J.  N.  Walker,  73d  Ind. 

Major  J.  A.  Henry,  5th  Ohio. 

Immediately  on  discovering  the  absence  of  these  prisoners 
some  excitement  was  created  among  the  Confederate  officers 
in  charge  of  the  prison,  and  in  a  short  time  every  means  was 
adopted  to  ascertain  the  manner  of  their  escape.  At  first 
Major  Turner  was  inclined  to  the  opinion  that  the  sentinels 
on  duty  had  been  bribed  to  pass  them  out,  and  this  impression 
was  strengthened  by  the  assertion  of  the  Yankees  remaining 
behind  that  the  work  had  been  accomplished  through  means  of 
heavy  fees,  which  had  been  paid  a  Confederate  officer  in  the 
building,  and  his  influence  over  the  guard  in  their  behalf.  On 
learning  this  the  order  was  given  to  place  the  guard  under 
arrest  and  to  commit  them  to  Castle  Thunder.  Not  feeling 
satisfied  about  the  matter,  the  Major  and  Lt.  Latouche  deter- 
mined to  leave  no  stone  unturned  to  ferret  out  the  mystery, 


172  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

and  thereupon  proceeded  to  institute  a  search  in  every  direc- 
tion for  further  information.  After  a  fruitless  examination 
of  every  part  of  the  building  where  it  was  thought  possible  for 
a  man  to  escape  they  were  about  abandoning  further  investiga- 
tion, when  the  idea  struck  them  that  some  clue  might  be  ob- 
tained by  going  into  the  lot  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  street, 
when  a  large  hole  was  soon  discovered  in  the  corner  of  one  of 
the  stalls  of  a  shed  which  had  been  used  as  a  stable,  and  on  a 
line  with  the  street  running  between  it  and  the  Libby  prison. 
This  discovery  fully  satisfied  them  that  they  had  found  out  the 
means  by  which  the  escape  had  been,  but  their  next  step  was 
to  trace  out  the  spot  where  the  tunneling  was  commenced. 
Some  few  yards  from  the  eastern  end  of  the  building,  in  the 
basement  it  was  found  that  a  large  piece  of  granite,  about 
three  feet  by  two,  had  been  removed  from  the  foundation  and 
a  tunnel  extending  59  feet  across  the  street,  eastward,  into  a 
vacant  lot  formerly  known  as  Carr's  warehouse,  cut  through. 
This  tunnel  was  about  seven  feet  from  the  surface  of  the 
street,  and  worn  two  and  a  half  feet  square.  The  lot  in  which 
the  excavation  emptied  is  several  feet  below  the  street,  and  the 
fleeing  prisoners  when  they  emerged  from  the  tunnel  found 
themselves  on  level  ground.  Running  on  Gary  street  is  a  brick 
building,  through  the  centre  of  which  is  a  large  arch  with  a 
wooden  gate  to  permit  egress  and  ingress  to  and  from  the  lot. 
By  this  route  they  got  into  Canal  street,  and  keeping  close  to 
the  eaves  of  the  building  they  succeeded  in  eluding  the  vigilance 
of  the  sentinels  on  duty.  The  prisoners  are  confined  in  the 
second  story  of  the  Libby  prison,  and  the  first  and  basement 
stories  had  to  be  obtained  before  the  mouth  of  the  tunnel  could 
be  reached.  From  the  first  floor  leading  to  the  basement  there 
was  formerly  a  stairway,  but  since  the  building  has  been  in 
use  as  a  prison  the  aperture  at  the  head  of  the  steps  has  been 
closed  with  very  heavy  planks. 

By  some  means  the  prisoners  would  cut  through  both  these 
floors  when  they  wished  to  gain  the  cellar,  and  after  they  had 
passed  down  would  close  up  the  holes  with  the  planks  which 
had  been  taken  out  so  neatly  that  it  could  not  be  discovered. 
The  cellar  covers  the  whole  area  of  the  building  and  is  only 
used  as  a  place  for  storing  away  meal,  &c.,  for  the  use  of  the 
prison.  It  being  very  large  only  the  front  part  was  required, 
and  therefore  the  back  part  of  it,  which  is  considerably  below 
Gary  street,  is  scarcely  ever  visited.  The  dirt  which  accumu- 
lated as  the  work  progressed  was  spread  about  this  part  of  the 
basement  and  then  covered  over  with  a  large  quantity  of  straw 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  173 

which  has  been  deposited  therein.  It  is  not  known  how  long 
the  operatives  in  this  stupendous  undertaking  have  been  en- 
gaged; but,  when  the  limited  facilities  which  they  possessed  is 
taken  into  consideration,  there  can  be  no  doubt  that  months 
have  elapsed  since  the  work  was  first  begun.  The  whole  thing 
was  skillfully  managed  and  bears  the  impress  of  master  minds 
and  indomitable  perseverance. 

Sometime  since,  a  Yankee  Captain  was  found  in  the  cellar, 
and  on  being  taken  before  Major  Turner,  all  smeared  up  with 
meal,  he  gave  as  his  excuse  for  being  there  that  he  did  not 
get  enough  to  eat  and  was  looking  for  something  to  make  bread 
with.  This  was  doubtless  a  falsehood,  and  his  only  business 
was  to  assist  in  the  work  which  they  had  in  hand. 

There  seems  to  be  no  doubt  that  further  escape  through  this 
avenue  was  contemplated,  and  the  earnestness  with  which  the 
prisoners  who  remained  behind  tried  to  throw  the  blame  upon 
the  guard  was  only  done  to  prevent  further  inquiry  into  the 
matter,  and  thereby  leave  the  tunnel  open  for  others  to  pass 
through.  Probably  one  more  night  might  have  emptied  the 
prison  of  the  whole  number  confined  therein. 

Yesterday  workmen  were  engaged  in  stopping  up  the  pass- 
age which  had  been  made  from  the  prison,  and  it  may  now 
safely  be  relied  on  that  no  other  prisoners  will  ever  take  their 
departure  from  the  Libby  against  the  knowledge  and  consent 
of  the  officers  in  charge. 

As  soon  as  the  facts  of  the  escape  became  fully  known, 
orders  were  received  by  Col.  Brown  commanding  the  cavalry 
battallion  for  local  defence,  that  a  detachment  of  his  force 
should  immediately  scour  the  surrounding  country  in  pursuit 
of  them,  and  accordingly  twenty-five  men  from  each  company 
soon  started  off  for  that  purpose.  Four  of  the  prisoners  who 
succeeded  in  getting  out  were,  late  in  the  afternoon,  recaptured 
and  brought  back.  They  had  gotten  about  22  miles  from  the 
city  before  they  were  overtaken.  It  is  hardly  probable,  from 
the  steps  which  have  been  taken  to  prevent  it,  that  many  of 
them  will  succeed  in  reaching  the  Yankee  lines. 

After  a  painstaking  research  two  names  are  still  lack- 
ing to  complete  the  list  of  the  109  officers  who  went  out 
through  the  tunnel  February  9th,  1864.  With  that  ex- 
ception the  names  of  107  herewith  appended  are  believed 
to  be  correct.  But  few  are  living  at  this  writing  and  those 
who  are  known  to  be  dead  are  so  reported. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Adams,  W.  R.,  Capt.  89th  Ohio  Inft. 

Bassett,  M.  M.,  Capt.  53d  111.  Inft. 

Bedell,  M.,  Lieut.  123d  New  York  Inft. 

Bennett,  F.  I.,  Lieut.  18th  Regulars.    Dead. 

Boyd,  J.  F.,  Lt.-Col.  20th  A.  C. 

Boyd,  Matthew,  Capt.  23d  Indiana.    Dead. 

Bradford,  R.  Y.,  Lieut.  2d  Tenn.  Cav. 

Brown,  S.  P.,  Lieut.  U.  S.  Cav. 

Caldwell,  D.  S.,  Capt.  123d  Ohio  Inft. 

Chamberlain,  H.  B.,  Capt.  97th  N.  Y. 

Chivester,  H.  S.,  Lieut.  23d  111.  Inft. 

Clark,  Terrance,  Capt.  79th  111.  Inft.    Dead. 

Collins,  J.  P.,  Maj.  29th  Ind.  Inft.    Dead. 

Crawford,  H.  P.,  Lieut.  2d  111.  Cav. 

Cummings,  T.,  Capt.  19th  U.  S.  Inft. 

Daily,  W.  K,  Lieut.  8th  Pa.  Cav. 

Davis,  Geo.  C.,  Lieut.-Col.  4th  Maine  Inft. 

Davy, ,  Lieut.  77th  Pa.  Inft. 

Day,  R.  H.,  Capt.  56th  Pa.  Inft. 

Earle,  C.  W.,  Lieut.  96th  111.  Inft.    Dead. 

Edmunds,  P.  S.,  Lieut.  67th  Pa.  Inft. 

Ely,  W.  G.,  Col.  18th  Conn.  Inft. 

Fales,  Jas.  M.,  Lieut.  1st  R.  I.  Cav.    Dead. 

Fentress,  W.  E.  H.,  U.  S.  Navy.    Dead. 

Fislar,  John  G.,  Lt.  7th  Ind.  Bat. 

Fisher,  B.  F.,  Capt.  3d  Pa.  Inft. 

Fisher,  B.  F.,  Chief  Signal  Corps. 

Fitzsimmons,  G.  W.,  Maj.  30th  Ind.  Inft.    Dead. 

Flamburg,  David  S.,  Capt.  4th  Ind.  Bat.    Dead. 

Foster,  Eli,  Capt.  30th  Ind.  Inft.    Dead. 

Fransherry,  Dan'l.,  Capt.  1st  Mich.  Cav. 

Gageby,  J.  H.,  Lieut.  19th  U.  S.  Inft.    Dead. 

Gallagher,  Michael,  Capt.  2d  N.  Y.  Cav. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  175 

Gallaher,  J.  R,  Capt.  2d  Ohio  Inft.    Dead. 

Gamble,  S.  P.,  Lieut.  63d  Pa.  Inft. 

Garbett,  David,  Lieut.  77th  Pa.  Inft.    Dead. 

Gates,  T.,  Capt.  33d  Ohio  Inft. 

Good,  G.  S.,  Lieut.  84th  Pa.  Inft. 

Greble,  Chas.  E.,  Lieut.  8th  Mich.  Cav.    Dead. 

Hall,  J.  C.,  Capt.  112th  111.  Inft. 

Hamilton,  A.  G.,  Capt.  12th  Ky.  Cav.    Dead. 

Handy,  Thos.,  Capt.  79th  111.  Inft. 

Harris,  Geo.,  Lieut.  79th  Ind.  Inft. 

Hatfield,  J.  D.,  Lieut.  53d  111.  Inft. 

Hauf,  Adam,  Lieut.  46th  1ST.  Y.  Inft. 

Henry,  John,  Maj.  5th  Ohio  Cav.    Dead. 

Higby,  E.  Jv  Lieut.  33d  Ohio  Inft. 

Hines,  H.  H.,  Lieut.  57th  Pa.  Inft. 

Hobert,  H.  C.,  Lt.-Col.  21st  Wis.    Dead. 

Hooper,  J.  H.,  Maj.  loth  Mass.  Inft.    Dead. 

Irsch,  Francis,  Capt.  45th  N.  Y.  Inft. 

Johnson,  Isaac,  Engineer  U.  S.  Navy. 

Johnston,  I.  K,  Capt.  6th  Ky. 

Kendrick,  W.  P.,  Col.  3d  W.  Tenn.  Cav.    Dead. 

Lewis,  John  W.,  Capt.  4th  Ky.  Cav. 

Lucas,  John,  Capt.  5th  Ky.  Inft. 

McCreary,  W.  B.,  Col.  21st  Mich.  Inf.    Dead. 

McDonald,  B.  B.,  Maj.  101st  Ohio  Inft.    Dead. 

McKean,  N.  S.,  Lieut.  21st  111.  Inft.    Dead. 

Mitzel,  Alex.  T.  Yon,  Lt-Col.  74th  Pa.  Inft. 

Mitchell,  John,  Lieut.  79th  111.  Inft. 

Mills,  D.,  Col.  70th  Pa.  Inft.    Dead. 

Moore,  A.,  Lieut.  4th  Ky.  Cav. 

Moore,  M.,  Capt.  29th  Ind.  Inft. 

Moran,  Frank,  Lieut.  73d  1ST.  Y.    Dead. 

Morgan,  C.  H.,  Lieut.  21st  Wis. 


176  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Phelps,  I.  D.,  Capt.  73d  Ind.  Inft.    Dead. 

Pierce,  W.  B.,  Lieut,  llth  Ky.  Cav. 

Porter,  John  F.,  Capt.  14th  N.  Y.  Cav. 

Eandall,  W.  S.  B.,  Capt.  2d  Ohio  Inft.    Dead. 

Eandolph,  Wallace,  Lieut.  5th  U.  S.  Art. 

Ray,  T.  J.,  Lieut.  40th  Ohio  Inft. 

Reynolds,  Wm.,  Lieut.  73d  Ind.  Inft. 

Rogers,  A.  F;,  Lt.-Col.  80th  111.  Inft.    Dead. 

Rose,  Thos.  E.,  Col.  77th  Pa.  Inft.  U.  S.  Army.    Dead, 

Rossman,  W.  C.,  Capt.  3d  Ohio  Inft. 

Rose,  S.  C.,  Capt.  4th  Mo.  Cav. 

Rowan,  Chas.  E.,  Capt.  96th  111.  Inft. 

Scearce,  W.  W.,  Capt.  51st  Ind.    Dead. 

Schroeder,  Edgar,  Lieut.  74th  Pa.  Inft.    Dead. 

Scott,  E.  S.,  Lieut.  89th  Ohio  Inft. 

Scudmore,  G.,  Lieut.  80th  111.  Inft.    Dead. 

Simpson,  John  D.,  Lieut.  10th  Ind.  Inf.    Dead. 

Small,  M.  R.,  Adj.  6th  Md.  Inft.    Dead. 

Smith,  E.  L.,  Maj.  9th  U.  S.  Inft.    Dead. 

Sutherland,  S.  D.,  Lieut.  125th  Ohio  Inft. 

Spofford,  J.  P.,  Col.  97th  N.  Y.  Inft. 

Starr,  Geo.  H.,  Capt.  104th  N.  Y.  Inft. 

Sterling,  John,  Lieut.  30th  Ind.  Inft.    Dead. 

Streight,  A.  D.,  Col.  51st  Ind.  Inft.    Dead. 

Thomas,  I.  W.,  Lieut.  2d  Ohio  Inft. 

Tilden,  Chas.  W.,  Col.  16th  Maine  Inft. 

Tower,  Morton,  Capt.  43d  Mass.  Vol. 

Walber,  Albert,  Lieut.  26th  Wis.  Inft. 

Walker,  I.  N.,  Maj.  73d  Ind.  Inft.    Dead. 

Wallich,  W.,  Capt.  51st  Ind.  Inft.    Dead. 

Wasson,  J.  H.,  Lieut.  40th  Ohio  Inft. 

Watson,  Wm.  L.,  Lieut.  21st  Wis.  Inft. 

Wells,  Jas.  M.,  Lieut.  8th  Mich.  Cav. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  177 

West,  T.  S.,  Lt.-Col.  24th  Wis.  Inft.    Dead. 
White,  A.  B.,  Lieut.  4th  Pa.  Cav. 
White,  P.  A.,  Lieut.  83d  Pa.  Inft.    Dead. 
Wilcox,  Harry,  Lieut.  1st  N.  Y.  Cav. 
Wilkins,  J.  E.,  Capt.  112th  111.  Inft. 
Williams,  L.  P.,  Lieut.  73d  Ind.  Inft. 
Williams,  W.  A.,  Lieut.  123d  Ohio  Inft. 
Yates,  J.,  Capt.  3d  Ohio  Inft. 

According  to  arrangements  previously  made  the  various 
squads  of  the  rescuing  party  assembled  that  evening  at 
Burnt  Ordinary,  about  eighteen  miles  west  of  Williams- 
burg,  which  place  we  reached  at  early  dawn  of  the  next 
morning.  Here  the  troops  under  Colonel  Spear  were 
stationed  for  the  winter.  Through  all  the  intervening 
years  the  kindness  and  attention  received  in  those  warm 
winter  quarters  of  the  llth  Pennsylvania  Cavalry  has 
been  gratefully  remembered,  and,  strange  as  it  may  ap- 
pear, up  to  the  day  of  this  writing  the  author  has  never 
met  an  officer  or  soldier  of  that  regiment.  Under  this 
genial  hospitality  the  prisoners  now  for  the  first  time 
realized  that  they  were  absolutely  safe 

WITHIN  THE  FEDEEAL  LINES. 

With  the  great  peace  and  calm  that  here  came  upon  all  a 
reaction  soon  set  in.  The  excitement  and  strain  incident 
to  the  adventures  just  recounted  died  away,  and,  occupying 
a  "bunk"  kindly  offered  by  an  officer  of  the  Eleventh,  the 
writer  soon  became  unconscious  in  that  "sleep  that  knits 
up  the  raveled  sleeve  of  care/'  restores  the  shattered  nerves 
and  brings  back  the  wasted  energies. 

Remaining  at  Williamsburg  two  days,  twenty-six  pris- 
oners who  had  been  aided  in  their  escape  by  the  troops  or 


178  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

the  gunboats,  and  all  in  a  more  or  less  destitute  condition, 
were  conveyed  in  ambulances  to  Yorktown,  a  distance  of 
thirteen  miles,  and  thence  by  ferry  across  the  bay  to 
General  Butler's  headquarters  at  Fortress  Monroe. 

With  General  Butler,  who  was  then  in  command  of  that 
department,  the  welcome  was  most  cordial  and  the  fare 
sumptuous.  After  giving  our  names,  rank  and  regiment 
to  the  Associated  Press  he  instructed  his  Quartermaster 
to  issue  clothing  to  the  destitute  prisoners,  and  thus  re- 
habilitated and  thoroughly  rested,  on  the  following  day 
all  embarked  on  a  Government  transport  for  Baltimore, 
and  thence  by  rail  to  Washington.  On  the  passage  the 
twenty-six  escaped  prisoners  assembled  in  the  cabin  as  a 
deliberative  body,  and  Colonel  H.  C.  Hobart  was  called  to 
the  chair.  A  resolution  of  thankfulness  to  Almighty  God 
for  life  preserved  and  liberty  restored;  of  gratitude  to 
General  Butler  for  his  active  sympathy  and  aid,  and  of 
renewed  fealty  to  the  Union  and  the  flag,  was  adopted  by 
a  rising  vote,  signed  by  all  the  prisoners  and  given  to  the 
Associated  Press. 

Reporting  to  the  authorities  on  reaching  the  capital,  we 
were  surprised  and  not  a  little  gratified  that  the  news  of 
the  escape  had  preceded  us;  that  our  visit  to  the  city  was 
anticipated,  and  Government  officials  and  friends  (resi- 
dent in  Washington)  from  the  various  States  to  which  we 
belonged  were  on  the  lookout  for  our  arrival.  But  to  me 
the  greatest  gratification  incident  to  the  visit  in  Wash- 
ington was  being  personally 

CONGRATULATED  BY  LINCOLN. 

Instead  of  fugitives,  hunted  like  wild  beasts,  seeking 
cover  in  swamps  and  lagoons  by  day  and  traveling  stealth- 
ily like  thieves  by  night,  we  found  ourselves  sought  after 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  179 

by  Senators,  members  of  Congress,  and  friends  and  stran- 
gers as  well,  who  greeted  us  with  warm  words  of  welcome 
and  congratulation.  Among  newspaper  men,  who  eagerly 
sought  the  prisoners  on  the  streets  and  in  the  lobbies,  there 
was  a  lively  competition  as  to  who  should  get  the  first 
interview  and  send  in  a  "scoop." 

The  escaped  prisoners  were  the  lions  of  the  day.  After 
having  been  identified  by  records  on  file  at  the  War  De- 
partment, and  drawing  eight  months'  back  pay,  I  donned  a 
new  uniform,  resplendent  in  gold  braid,  and,  though  com- 
pelled by  the  regulations  to  wear  the  plain,  unadorned 
shoulder  straps  of  a  Second  Lieutenant  of  Cavalry,  I  en- 
joyed the  proud  distinction  (in  my  own  mind  at  least)  of 
ranking  equal  with  those  proud  mortals  (common  in  Wash- 
ington at  the  time)  who  wore  stars,  whether  they  had 
been  fairly  earned  or  not.  Patriotic  ladies,  always  inter- 
ested in  matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  the  soldier, 
sought  out  the  prisoners  and  frequently  made  them  the 
drawing  card  for  social  entertainments  and  "evenings 
out." 

The  State  of  Michigan  maintained  an  agency  here,  the 
better  to  care  for  her  soldiers  who  might  become  stranded 
at  the  capital.  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Tunnycliff,  of  Jackson,  filled 
this  important  mission.  Their  special  duty  was  to  hunt  up 
the  sick,  wounded  and  disabled  and  provide  for  their  wants ; 
to  aid  the  needy  in  obtaining  furloughs,  and  to  bestow  other 
cares  and  attentions  to  which  the  worthy  were  entitled — 
in  short,  to  act  the  Good  Samaritan  generally  to  Michigan 
soldiers. 

Through  the  kindness  of  Mrs.  Tunnycliff,  more  or  less 
prominent  in  social  circles,  for  the  few  days  remaining  I 
was  enabled  to  see  a  little  of  the  life  of  the  gay  capital. 
Together  we  attended  a  reception  at  the  White  House, 


i8o  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

where  I  was  introduced  to  Mr.  Lincoln  as  one  of  the 
escaped  prisoners  from  Richmond.  With  the  stirring 
events  of  the  war  probably  no  citizen  in  private  life  was  so 
well  informed  as  Mr.  Lincoln.  No  detail  that  reached 
the  public,  however  small,  escaped  his  attention. 

Though  standing  in  the  midst  of  a  large  assembly,  all 
anxiously  awaiting  their  turn  for  an  introduction  to  the 
President,  Mr.  Lincoln  took  my  hand,  and,  while  warmly 
pressing  it,  asked  a  number  of  questions  about  the  escape. 
A  few  of  the  words  that  fell  from  his  lips  I  have  always 
remembered,  and  have  since  then  many  times  repeated. 
Still  holding  my  hand,  he  said :  "You  are  one  of  the  party 
that  went  through  the  tunnel?"  Receiving  an  affirmative 
answer  to  the  above,  he  said :  "I  congratulate  you  on  your 
escape,"  and  at  once  put  the  following:  <(What  did  you 
do  with  the  dirt?" 

In  view  of  Mr.  Lincoln's  exalted  character,  leaving  be- 
hind as  he  has  a  name  honored  and  revered  wherever  the 
love  of  civil  and  religious  liberty  finds  lodgment  in  the 
breasts  of  men,  the  memory  of  thus  meeting  one  of  the 
world's  most  illustrious  is  still  cherished  as  a  noteworthy 
event. 

Young,  vigorous  and  full  of  hope  as  I  was  then,  con- 
fident of  ultimate  success,  as  the  Union  Army  was  at  all 
times,  there  was  but  one  shadow  hanging  over  the  pleasur- 
able incidents  of  this  brief  sojourn  in  the  nation's  capital, 
and  that  was  the  anxiety  to  reach  my  home  in  far-away 
Michigan,  where  my  mother  but  a  few  weeks  before,  after 
a  long  and  painful  illness,  had  fallen  into  that  deep  sleep 
which  war's  loud  alarms  can  never  awaken.  A  letter  from 
my  sister,  received  while  yet  a  prisoner,  had  informed  me 
of  the  sad  event. 

Calling  upon  Secretary  Stanton,  I  received  an  order 


' 


SPECIAL  ORDER   No.   82,   WAR  DEPARTMENT,   GRANTING   THIRTY 
DAYS'  LEAVE  OF  ABSENCE  TO  LIEUTENANT  JAMES  M.  WELLS. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  181 

direct  from  his  hand  permitting  me  to  return  to  Michigan, 
there  to  remain  thirty  days,  and  thence  report  to  my  regi- 
ment in  Kentucky;  and,  traveling  on  Government  trans- 
portation a  few  days  later  I  reached 

HOME,  SWEET  HOME. 

A  facsimile  of  the  order  received  from  the  Secretary  of 
War  will  be  found  on  another  page. 

On  the  homeward  trip  Colonel  McCreary  and  myself 
traveled  together  from  Washington  to  Detroit.  At  Cleve- 
land we  were  compelled  to  remain  twenty-four  hours  await- 
ing another  train.  What  was  called  the  Great  Northwest- 
ern Sanitary  Fair  was  then  in  progress.  It  was  being 
held  in  an  immense  pavilion  surrounding  the  Perry  monu- 
ment. In  some  way  our  names  were  announced  at  the 
hotel  as  being  among  those  of  the  escaped  prisoners,  and 
we  were  waited  upon  by  a  committee  (appointed  for  the 
purpose)  inviting  us  to  attend  the  fair,  and  tickets  of 
admission  throughout  all  its  departments  were  extended. 

Accepting  this  kind  invitation,  we  were  privileged  to 
meet  a  good  many  prominent  men  and  women  of  Cleve- 
land, and  here  was  presented  a  practical  demonstration  of 
what  was  being  done  at  home  for  the  comfort  of  the  army 
in  the  field.  Crowds  of  people  thronged  the  pavilion  day 
and  evening.  Booths  were  erected  in  the  most  attractive 
form,  where  everything  useful  and  ornamental  as  well  was 
offered  for  sale,  the  proceeds  to  go  for  the  benefit  of  the 
soldiers.  The  booths  were  presided  over  by  the  most 
attractive  and  accomplished  of  Cleveland's  fair  daughters, 
and  the  exhibition  was  kept  open  day  and  night  to  catch 
the  passing  throng. 

"How  much  for  that  flower?"  inquired  a  gentleman  of 
a  young  lady  at  one  of  these  booths. 


182  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

"Only  twenty-five  cents,"  was  the  smiling  reply. 

"Fll  take  it  if  you'll  pin  it  on  my  coat." 

"Certainly;"  and  the  young  lady  deftly  fastened  it  in 
place.  The  purchaser  handed  her  a  greenback  dollar  bill. 

"That's  right,  thank  you,"  was  the  gracious  response. 
"Twenty-five  cents  for  the  flower  and  seventy-five  cents 
for  pinning  it  on." 

"And  here  is  another  dollar,"  said  the  gentleman.  "It's 
worth  it  to  be  swindled  in  that  delightful  manner."  Then 
he  added  more  seriously,  "We  can't  do  too  much  for  the 
brave  boys  at  the  front." 

There  was  also  a  large  dining  room  attachment  where 
meals  were  furnished  for  the  hungry,  prepared  and  served 
by  young  ladies  in  uniform,  who,  sacrificing  ball  and  party, 
were  devoting  their  time  to  this  patriotic  work. 

Presiding  at  the  table  where  I  chanced  to  be  seated  for 
lunch,  I  was  heartily  surprised  and  greatly  pleased  to 
meet  Miss  Lulu  Carrie  Wetmore,  a  former  friend  from 
Michigan,  and  then  an  extemporized  waitress  for  the  good 
of  the  common  cause.  Here  I  chanced  also  to  meet 
Major  Coon,  an  army  paymaster,  resident  in  Cleveland. 
After  listening  to  a  brief  recital  of  the  escape,  and  visit 
in  Washington — a  story  that  had  often  to  be  repeated — 
he  asked  incidentally  if  I  had  received  my  pay  in  full  from 
the  Government.  On  replying  that  two  months'  pay  had 
been  kept  back,  as  was  the  custom,  he  said:  "Come  with 
me  to  my  office."  I  did  as  requested,  and  there  received 
my  pay  to  date,  as  will  be  seen  by  the  endorsement  on 
Special  Order  No.  82,  elsewhere  reproduced.  This  was 
an  unusual  courtesy  on  the  part  of  a  paymaster. 

Expecting  to  surprise  my  friends  at  Galesburg,  Michi- 
gan, by  appearing  among  them  unannounced,  I  refrained 
from  writing  or  sending  any  notification  of  my  coming, 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  183 

but  was  more  surprised  than  they  on  the  arrival  of  the 
train  to  find  quite  a  delegation  of  young  and  old  await- 
ing at  the  station.  Through  the  Associated  Press  they 
had  been  able  to  keep  up  with  the  movements  of  the 
escaped  prisoners  from  the  time  of  their  first  appearance 
at  General  Butler's  headquarters,  and  for  the  last  two  or 
three  days  had  attended  every  train  from  the  East  with 
the  expectation  of  meeting  the  returning  soldier  boy. 

The  cloud  that  had  shadowed  all  the  pleasures  of  the 
homeward  bound  trip  grew  darker  on  nearing  School- 
craft,  the  village  from  which  I  entered  the  army,  and 
where  my  mother  died;  and,  reaching  home  at  last,  find- 
ing the  blinds  closed  and  the  doors  locked,  the  home 
for  which  I  had  longed  so  much  presented  an  air  of  utter 
desolation.  Although  my  mother  had  left  the  property 
to  me  by  will,  it  was  no  longer  a  home  of  mine,  but 
solace  was  found  in  the  loyal  welcome  of  the  people,  and  a 
temporary  home  with  the  old  friends  and  neighbors  who 
had  been  kind  to  my  mother  in  her  last  hours. 

The  thirty  days  spent  among  them  and  with  the  friends 
and  relatives  in  Galesburg,  Kalamazoo  and  other  places 
passed  like  a  fleeting  dream,  and  the  memory  of  the  many 
kind  and  gracious  acts  received  at  that  time  is  con- 
templated with  infinite  delight  to-day. 

There  were  no  halls  to  be  had  in  answer  to  the  universal 
demand,  and  the  largest  church  was  generally  secured, 
in  which  meetings  were  held  in  order  that  the  people 
might  extend  suitable  welcome  and  listen  to  genuine 
stories  of  the  war  coming  from  first  hands.  The  church 
choir  in  that  period,  composed  mainly  of  old  men  in 
spectacles  and  young  women  ready  to  substitute  patriotic 
son^s  in  the  place  of  church  hymns,  was  a  prominent,  if 
not  an  awe-inspiring,  feature  of  the  country  village.  The 


1 84  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

music  rendered  by  the  choir  added  to  the  general  interest 
of  the  occasion.  To  house  organ  accompaniments  they 
sang  the  popular  songs,  such  as:  "When  Johnny  Comes 
Marching  Home/'  and  "Just  Before  the  Battle,  Mother/' 
It  will  be  an  evidence  of  the  depressing  effect  which 
the  war  produced  upon  the  country,  and  the  deep  sorrow 
into  which  the  people  were  plunged,  to  reproduce  here 
parts  of  a  communication  received  from  my  sister  while  I 
was  yet  a  prisoner,  informing  me  of  the  serious  illness  of 
our  mother,  and  the  packing  and  sending  of  the  box  of 
clothing  and  delicacies  elsewhere  described.  This  letter 
is  followed  by  an  extract  from  a  later  one  bearing  the 
more  sorrowful  intelligence  of  my  mother's  death,  and  a 
facsimile  of  the  envelope  in  which  the  letter  was  enclosed. 
These  are  vivid  reminders  at  this  time  of  the  sorrows 
through  which  the  people  were  passing,  for  there  was  not 
a  family  in  the  whole  land,  throughout  that  trying  period, 
whose  hearthstone  was  not  in  some  way  saddened  by  the 
grim  specter  of  the  Civil  War. 

SCHOOLCRAFT,  Wednesday  Evening,  Oct.  28, 1863. 
MY  DEAR  BROTHER: 

You  do  not  know  how  relieved  we  were  this  morning  when, 
shortly  after  the  mail  arrived,  Willie  Scott  brought  a  note 
from  you  written  in  Libby  Prison.  We  had  been  informed  by 
Mr.  McCreary  in  writing  to  his  wife,  that  you  were  a  prisoner. 
But  if  you  are  still  alive  and  able  to  write,  we  feel  truly 
thankful. 

.  I  have  been  all  day  canning  and  packing  fruit 
and  other  little  necessaries  for  your  comfort  and  sustenance, 
and  hope  in  my  heart  you  will  receive  them.  Willie  has  been 
very  kind  indeed  and  has  taken  the  responsibility  and  trouble 

of   packing   and   sending   your   box Henrietta 

Fisher  made  your  sponge  cake.  Julia  Pearly  and  Ella  Under- 
wood hemmed  your  handkerchiefs.  Maria  was  in  this  morn- 
ing and  made  the  biscuit  for  you.  We  cut  them  open  and  dry 
them  to  keep  from  moulding.  I  made  the  butter,  the  first  I 


'  j 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  185 

ever  made  in  my  life Miss  Sophronia  Fisher 

sent  the  apples 

I  have  written  you  several  long  letters  giving  you  an  ac- 
count of  mother's  sickness ;  but  for  fear  you  have  not  received 
my  letters  I  will  say:  She  has  been  very  ill  for  a  long  time 
and  the  physicians  have  little  or  no  hope  for  her  final  re- 
covery  

She  sits  up  a  part  of  the  time  and  walks  around  from  one 
room  to  another,  but  she  is  very  feeble  and  emaciated.  She 
talks  of  you  a  great  deal  and  wants  to  see  you  very  much.  I 
hope  you  will  be  able  to  obtain  a  leave  of  absence  and  come 
home,  as  I  think  it  very  doubtful  if  she  is  ever  any  better. 

Henry  and  Aimer  are  at  Knoxville.  They  were  in  a  terrible 
battle  on  the  25th  of  October.  May  the  God  of  battles  protect 

them 

(Signed)  Your  loving  sister, 

STATIRA  BARE  WELLS. 

Sabbath  Afternoon,  GALESBURG,  Dec.  27,  1863. 
MY  DEAR  BROTHER: 

I  wrote  you  a  letter  two  weeks  ago  to-day,  bearing  the  in- 
telligence of  our  dear  mother's  death,  and  sent  it  by  express  in 
a  large  box  of  things  put  up  for  your  sustenance  and  comfort. 
But  fearing  you  may  not  receive  it,  I  take  the  first  oppor- 
tunity to  express  to  you  the  sorrow  of  my  heart,  and  the  sad- 
ness that  her  seemingly  sudden  death  has  cast  upon  every- 
thing. She  died  the  tenth  of  this  month.  She  was  sensible  to 
the  very  last  moment,  and  when  she  could  no  longer  speak,  she 
would  press  our  hands  in  answer  to  our  questions.  She  talked 
to  me  much  of  death  and  was  very  much  reconciled  and  happy. 
Said  her  great  desire  was  to  see  her  dear  boys  once  more.  Told 
me  but  a  few  minutes  before  she  died  to  tell  you  and  Henry 
she  wished  to  see  your  good  faces  again.  Her  last  words  to 
me  were,  "Don't  cry,  my  child.  Let  me  go  in  peace.  I  am 
happy."  .... 

The  following  letter,  bearing  a  later  date,  was  received 
from  my  sister  while  in  the  Workhouse  Prison,  Charleston, 
South  Carolina.  It  bears  date  Galesburg,  August,  1864. 

MY  DEAR  BROTHER: 

I  received  yours  dated  from  Charleston  yesterday,  and  have 
prepared  your  valise  with  the  greatest  possible  speed. 


i86  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

It  was  indeed  a  great  relief  to  me  to  know  that  you  were 
not  killed  in  that  terrible  raid.  The  suffering  I  have  endured 
during  these  long  days  of  suspense  God  alone  knows,  and 
when  Delia  and  I  went  to  the  office  yesterday,  almost  dis- 
heartened and  completely  discouraged,  with  little  assurance 
and  no  hope  of  a  word  from  you,  and  the  P.  M.  handed  me 
your  letter,  I  exclaimed,  "He  is  alive,  for  that  is  his  hand- 
writing;" but  I  knew  at  once  that  you  were  a  prisoner.  This 
seems  hard  for  you  and  sad  for  us  all,  but  let  us  hope  it  is  for 
the  best.  Perhaps  it  is  for  the  saving  of  your  life.  You  have 
lived  through  it  all  so  far  and  I  firmly  believe  you  will  be 
spared  to  return  to  us  once  more. 

This  is  our  morning,  evening  and  continued  prayer.  If  you 
could  have  heard  Uncle  pray  for  you  this  morning,  you  would 
have  thought  such  a  petition  coming  from  such  an  honest,  faith- 
ful heart,  could  not  have  been  unheeded  by  the  Mighty  Ruler 
of  Destinies , 

It  has  been  said  the  love  which  the  mother  bears  her 
child  is  the  sublimest  emotion  of  which  the  human  heart 
is  capable,  but  there  is  another  passion  that  surpasses 
this  and  before  which  every  other  emotion  vanishes  like 
mist  under  the  rays  of  the  noonday  sun,  and  that  is  the 
love  which  the  loyal  American  mother  bears  for  her 
country  and  its  flag.  On  this  sacred  shrine  she  stands 
ready  if  the  supreme  moment  should  come,  though  her 
heart-strings  be  rent  asunder  thereby,  to  sacrifice  child 
and  all  else  but  honor,  dear  to  her  on  earth.  History, 
ancient  and  modern,  furnishes  many  individual  instances 
of  this  characteristic  in  woman,  but  it  has  been  left  to  the 
mothers  of  America  universally  to  exemplify  it.  In  all 
our  national  struggles  since  the  first  gun  at  Concord — that 
shot  which  was  heard  around  the  world — down  through 
the  dark  days  of  the  Civil  War,  American  women,  North 
and  South,  have  stood  at  the  foot  of  the  cross,  ready  to 
offer  up  the  last  full  measure  of  devotion. 

Owing  to  the  liberality  of  our  institutions  and  the 
veneration  in  which  women  are  held  in  this  young  Repub- 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  187 

lie,  the  love  they  bear  for  the  flag  which  has  ever  been 
their  shield  is  more  deeply  rooted  than  that  found  among 
the  women  of  foreign  lands.  Considering  the  sacrifices 
they  have  made,  and  while  reflecting  upon  past  events,  it 
has  been  thought  that  the  soldier  of  the  Civil  War  arro- 
gates to  himself  too  much  credit  for  having  saved  the  flag 
from  desecration  and  the  States  from  dissolution;  and 
too  little  credit  has  been  given  to  the  mothers,  wives  and 
daughters  left  weeping  at  home.  That  their  services  are 
sometimes  overlooked  in  the  glamour  with  which  the 
soldier  has  surrounded  himself,  there  is  no  question  of 
doubt.  Whether  sick  in  hospitals,  wounded  on  the  field 
of  battle,  or  languishing  half  starved  in  prison  pens,  the 
first  articles  brought  into  requisition  for  the  soldier's  re- 
lief came  through  the  loving  hands  of  loyal  women,  whose 
magic  touch  charmed  back  into  health  and  strength  the 
sick  and  dying;  whose  patriotic  appeals  fanned  into  flame 
the  last  smouldering  spark  of  patriotism  in  the  breasts  of 
the  faint-hearted  and  doubting;  and  whose  sympathetic 
tears  were  mingled  with  every  drop  of  blood  shed  for  the 
Nation's  honor.  Without  the  inspiration  found  in  their 
self-sacrificing  devotion,  how  desolate  would  have  been 
to  most  of  us  the  four  long  years  of  war — a  love  and 
devotion  cradled  in  patriotism  as  it  was,  amidst  the  fiercest 
storm  that  ever  raged  around  the  altar  of  liberty  and 
human  hopes! 

It  is  largely  through  the  constancy  of  the  Women's 
Relief  Corps,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  the  co- 
operation of  loyal  and  patriotic  women  throughout  the 
land,  that  the  heroic  deeds  of  the  Union  soldiers  and  the 
hallowed  memories  of  the  Civil  War  are  being  perpetuated 
and  handed  down  to-day. 

But  a  soldier's  duty  cannot  wait  on  his  pleasure.    The 


1 88  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

leave  of  absence  having  expired,  reluctantly  I  bade  good- 
bye to  friends  and  kindred,  and,  hurrying  to  the  front, 
reached  my  regiment  at  Nicholasville,  Kentucky,  and 
there  reported  again  for  duty. 

The  details  of  the  escape  and  the  names  of  those  partic- 
ipating (through  the  press  and  otherwise)  had  been 
called  meantime  to  the  notice  of  the  Honorable  Austin 
Blair,  Michigan's  war  Governor,  who,  deeming  the  matter 
of  sufficient  importance,  advanced  me  two  numbers  in 
rank;  and  I  had  no  sooner  reached  the  regiment  than  a 
full  Captain's  commission  came  direct  from  the  Governor's 
hand. 

In  the  intervening  days  of  inactivity  in  Kentucky,  our 
officers  mingled  freely  with  the  people,  and  were  often 
invited  to  their  homes,  where  an  open  and  generous 
hospitality  was  to  be  found,  and  this  without  regard  to 
the  prejudices  many  of  them  entertained  favorable  to  the 
Southern  cause.  It,  however,  could  scarcely  have  been 
otherwise,  as  their  families  were  often  divided  on  the  vital 
questions  of  the  war;  son  against  father  and  father  against 
son.  But,  as  before  stated,  there  was  in  Kentucky  a  strong 
and  unswerving  sentiment  favorable  to  the  Union.  The 
Scotts,  Christmans,  McDonalds  and  Youngs  were  among 
the  families  residing  near  Nicholasville  and  Lexington 
gratefully  remembered,  and  whose  names  are  recalled. 

I  was  for  a  time  on  the  staff  of  Colonel  Horace  Capron 
of  the  14th  Illinois  Cavalry,  who  commanded  a  brigade 
then  stationed  at  Nicholasville.  Before  entering  the 
army,  Colonel  Capron  was  a  model  farmer  and  stock  raiser 
of  Peoria,  Illinois.  The  celebrated  community  of 
Shakers  was  located  a  few  miles  distant  from  our  head- 
quarters, and,  recognizing  Colonel  Capron  as  an  authority 
on  all  matters  pertaining  to  model  farming,  the  Shakers 


•CAPTAIX  JAMES  M.  WELLS,  AT  THE  AGE  OF  TWEXTY-FIVE. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  189 

invited  him  to  pay  their  village  a  visit,  take  dinner  with 
them  and  spend  the  day. 

Accordingly,  one  fine  morning  in  June,  Colonel  and 
Mrs.  Capron,  Miss  Bessie  Young,  and  myself  started  out 
in  an  ambulance  for  the  Shaker  settlement.  The  drive 
itself,  through  one  of  the  most  picturesque  districts  of 
the  Bluegrass  region,  was  a  constant  delight,  and  on  ar- 
riving at  the  village  we  were  impressed  with  the  neatness 
and  order  that  everywhere  prevailed;  everything  being 
conducted  on  the  cooperative  plan;  the  kitchen,  dining 
room,  store  and  storerooms  being  common  property, 
though  supervised  and  conducted  by  one  master  spirit. 
The  details  of  that  management  they  did  not  dwell  upon 
for  our  information.  We  spent  the  entire  day  in  looking 
over  the  place,  viewing  the  stock,  and  in  the  discussion  of 
an  elegant  dinner  especially  provided  for  the  occasion. 

The  beauties  of  this  pastoral  life,  the  peace  and 
quietude  that  everywhere  prevailed,  coupled  with  the  calm 
dignity  with  which  each  and  every  person  within  the  in- 
fluence of  this  charmed  circle  appeared  to  be  controlled, 
was  in  striking  contrast  to  the  scenes  of  blood  and  carnage 
in  the  midst  of  which  the  little  community  maintained 
the  even  and  unruffled  tenor  of  its  way. 

Colonel  Capron  was  past  sixty  years  of  age  and  very 
gray,  but  erect  in  bearing  and  punctilious  in  his  dress  and 
personal  appearance.  He  was  in  the  habit  of  shaving 
every  day;  and  sometimes,  with  the  enemy  in  front,  this 
proved  an  awkward  undertaking.  But  it  is  said  the  ruling 
passion  is  strong  even  in  death.  I  remember  once  seeing 
him  on  the  skirmish  line  standing  behind  a  tree  scarcely 
large  enough  to  cover  his  body,  with  his  little  hand  glass 
and  shaving  tackle  suspended  from  a  knot  ready  for  use. 
He  was  about  beginning  the  regular  tonsorial  evolutions, 


190 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


in  "one  time  and  three  motions,"  when  a  shot  from  the 
enemy  imbedded  itself  in  the  opposite  side  of  the  tree, 
causing  the  hark  to  fly  all  around.  But  the  Colonel,  tena- 
cious in  holding  his  regular  "turn,"  came  out  without  a 
"scratch"  and  with  a  "close  shave." 

In  the  following  chapter  will  be  recounted  the  story  of 
the  final  recovery  of  the 

WATCH  AND  CHAIN. 

Early  in  June  our  cavalry,  then  under  General  Stone- 
man,  took  up  the  march  through  the  Cumberland  Mount- 
ains to  join  General  Sherman  on  the  Atlanta  campaign. 
Twice  before  our  regiment  had  covered  nearly  the  same 
ground,  and  many  scenes  of  former  marches  and  adven- 
tures incident  thereto,  coming  to  mind,  that  of  my 
capture  and  loss  of  watch  and  money  were  recalled.  The 
route  again  led  by  way  of  Kingston,  about  forty  miles 
from  the  hamlet  of  Mouse  Creek,  where  the  unlucky  event 
took  place.  As  we  drew  near,  curiosity  to  revisit  the 
ladies  of  the  house,  and  from  them  learn  what  occurred 
there  after  my  unceremonious  departure,  grew  upon  me 
apace.  So  obtaining  leave  of  absence  for  two  days,  taking 
Lyman  Parsons,  a  comrade,  with  me  (it  was  risky  in  that 
country  for  one  wearing  the  uniform  to  be  found  far  from 
his  command  alone),  and  as  rapidly  as  possible  proceeding 
on  the  journey,  I  reached  Mouse  Creek  the  same  evening. 

The  ladies  were  found  as  anticipated,  where  I  had  left 
them,  remembering  and  recognizing  me  at  once.  The 
meeting  was  one  of  more  than  ordinary  interest  to  both. 
They  listened  to  the  story  of  my  adventures  since  leaving 
their  premises  under  guard  in  the  dead  hours  of  the  night 
ten  months  before  with  apparent  deep  concern,  and  when 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  191 

done  they  told  me  something  of  the  stirring  scenes  through 
which,  as  loyal  women,  they  had  been  called  upon  to  pass 
since  the  beginning  of  the  war.  Coming  down  to  the  time 
our  brief  acquaintance  began  and  ended  so  uncere- 
moniously, they  gave  a  detailed  account  of  what  transpired 
thereafter  very  nearly  as  follows : 

The  morning  after  the  capture  two  or  three  Confederate 
soldiers  coming  in  from  camp  told  the  ladies  I  had  de- 
posited money  there  while  a  guest  of  the  house  the  night 
before,  and  that  they  must  give  it  up.  The  lady  upon 
whom  this  demand  was  made  was  not  the  one  who  had 
accepted  the  watch  and  money,  and  she  stoutly  denied 
having  received  anything  from  me.  Upon  this  the  soldiers 
became  demonstrative  and  finally  threatened  to  burn  the 
house  unless  money  from  some  source  was  forthcoming. 
Alarmed  for  her  own  safety,  as  well  as  that  of  their  home, 
she  then  went  to  the  sister  who  had  received  both  the  watch 
and  money,  telling  her  that  possibly  I  had  disclosed  the 
fact  of  having  left  money  there,  and  under  such  circum- 
stances it  would  be  better  to  give  it  up.  To  this  sugges- 
tion they  yielded;  but,  strangely  enough,  not  a  word  was 
said  about  a  watch  or  any  other  valuables,  and  after  taking 
the  money  the  soldiers  went  away  without  further  parley. 
The  watch  and  gold  chain,  however,  remained  in  the  undis- 
puted possession  of  the  one  to  whom  they  had  been  en- 
trusted. 

During  the  months  that  had  intervened  from  the  day 
of  my  capture  up  to  the  time  of  which  I  now  write  these 
good  women  knew  nothing  of  the  fate  that  had  befallen 
me,  and  often  in  conversing  of  the  matter  they  wondered 
if  I  were  still  among  the  living.  But  time  passed  on  and 
the  campaign  of  East  Tennessee  was  being  waged  fast  and 
furious,  when  one  day  a  Union  regiment  went  into  camp 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

near  Mouse  Creek,  and  shortly  thereafter  an  officer  wear- 
ing the  straps  of  a  captain  of  infantry  came  to  the  house 
and  asked  the  ladies,  if  they  could  furnish  a  supper  for  a 
number  of  men.  The  ladies  were  in  some  way  attracted 
by  the  appearance  of  this  stranger,  and  the  first  impression 
was  that  they  had  known  or  seen  him  before.  A  conver- 
sation in  a  general  way  arose,  during  which  they  came  to 
the  conclusion  the  strange  officer  bore  a  striking  resem- 
blance to  the  one  whose  watch  and  chain  they  had  in  their 
possession.  After  explaining  this  circumstance  they  re- 
lated the  story  of  my  capture.  Whereupon,  bringing  out 
the  watch,  they  were  not  a  little  surprised  when  the  officer, 
recognizing  it  at  once  by  the  initials  on  the  case,  gave  them 
my  name  as  having  been  its  owner,  and  then  told  them  he 
was  my  brother  (Captain  John  H.  Wells,  25th  Michigan 
Infantry).  With  all  this  cumulation  of  evidence  he  had 
little  trouble  thereafter  in  convincing  the  ladies  of  the 
truthfulness  of  this  claim. 

Having  related  the  above  facts,  one  of  them,  after  going 
into  another  room,  brought  me,  not  my  watch  and  chain, 
but  instead  my  brother's  receipt  therefor  in  a  handwriting 
as  readily  recognized  by  me  as  my  watch  was  by  him. 

Explanations  satisfactory  to  all  having  thus  been  made, 
the  ladies,  doubtless  still  fearing  I  might  distrust  their  sin- 
cerity with  regard  to  the  final  disposition  of  the  money 
entrusted  to  them,  insisted  upon  refunding  the  entire 
amount.  But  the  offer  was  refused,  and  one  of  the  greatest 
pleasures  connected  with  this  writing  is  to  record  here  the 
evidence  of  their  loyalty  and  fidelity. 

The  following  morning,  reluctantly  bidding  these  dear 
friends  good-bye,  I  hastened  to  rejoin  the  regiment.  On 
this  lonely  ride  there  was  ample  time  to  reflect  upon  the 
events  of  the  past,  and  to  speculate  upon  the  future,  quite 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  193 

an  uncertain  proposition  at  that  time  for  all  those  engaged 
actively  in  the  great  Civil  War.  I  thought  often  of  a 
brother,  then  at  the  front  with  Sherman  in  Georgia,  whom 
I  had  seen  but  once  (and  that  briefly  while  on  the  march) 
since  some  time  in  the  fall  of  1862.  He  was  nine  years 
my  senior  and  had  been  both  father  and  brother  to  me. 
Our  mother  had  died,  as  stated  elsewhere,  while  the  brother 
was  shut  up  with  the  Union  troops  in  the  desperate  defense 
of  Knoxville  and  I  was  held  a  prisoner  at  Eichmond,  Vir- 
ginia. The  knowledge  of  these  facts  hastened  the  death 
of  my  mother,  as  will  appear  from  reading  my  sister's  let- 
ters quoted  in  another  chapter. 

But  the  ground  to  be  covered  by  Sherman's  advance  into 
the  heart  of  Georgia  is  already  reached,  and  we  are  plunged 
at  once  into  the  vortex  of 

THE  ATLANTA  CAMPAIGN". 

A  great  military  leader  has  said  the  cavalry  are  the  eyes 
and  ears  of  the  army,  and  our  duty  at  this  time  is  mainly 
in  the  advance  and  on  the  outlying  flanks.  The  cavalry 
are  the  first  to  see  and  hear.  And  while  they  are  the 
first  to  pick  up  anything  there  is  lying  around  good  to  eat, 
they  are  also  likely  to  receive  the  opening  shot  from  the 
enemy. 

There  was  a  large  band  of  raiders  in  the  Ellrjay  Mount- 
ains that  had  committed  a  good  many  depredations  on 
our  trains  and  foraging  parties,  and  the  8th  Cavalry  was 
sent  to  dislodge  or  capture  them.  They  were  located  in  a 
veritable  stronghold  on  the  borders  of  a  little  lake  situated 
in  a  narrow  pass  leading  over  and  through  a  spur  of  the 
mountains.  From  this  stronghold,  easily  watched  and 
guarded  from  either  side,  they  were  in  the  habit  of  swoop- 


194 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


ing  down  into  the  valleys,  destroying  property  and  making 
valuable  captures. 

Arriving  on  the  ground  just  at  daylight  after  an  all- 
night  march,  we  left  a  guard  at  one  of  the  passes,  while 
another  detachment  undertook  to  reach  the  outlet  on  the 
opposite  side  by  following  a  blind  trail  through  the  mount- 
ains, and  in  this  way  cut  off  all  retreat  and  force  them  to 
fight  or  surrender. 

The  trip  proved  an  interesting  one.  The  trail  was  rough 
and  precipitous,  and  we  were  often  compelled  to  dismount 
and  lead  by  file.  The  summit  was  reached  just  at  sunrise, 
when  a  magnificent  view  of  the  surrounding  country 
opened  up  before  us.  Green  meadows  and  pasture  lands 
stretched  away  in  the  distance,  and,  running  through  the 
valley,  little  streams  of  water,  whose  banks  were  lined 
with  spreading  oaks,  could  be  seen  glistening  in  the  sun. 
In  contemplating  this  view  the  impression  prevailed  among 
the  men  that  on  reaching  the  summit  there  would  be  found 
a  people,  in  character  at  least,  if  not  in  form  and  feature, 
more  or  less  influenced  by  these  poetic  surroundings.  But 
this  imaginary  race  of  fairies  was  enjoyed  more  in  the 
anticipation  than  in  the  realization,  as  future  develop- 
ments will  disclose. 

There  was  no  public  highway  leading  to  this  looked-for 
Eden,  only  a  trail,  and  on  reaching  the  settlement  the 
houses  were  found  to  be  of  the  most  primitive  character, 
generally  constructed  of  logs  and  roofed  over  with  bark, 
having  heavy  poles  laid  across  to  hold  the  roof  in  place. 
A  wooden  latch  with  a  leather  string  attached,  hanging  on 
the  outside,  constituted  the  only  fastening  for  the  door. 

In  the  front  yard  of  the  first  house  reached  three  or 
four  raccoons  and  a  young  black  bear  played  together  like 
a  cat  and  kittens,  and  on  the  gable  end  of  the  house  were 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  195 

a  number  of  skins  of  wild  animals,  stretched,  drying  in 
the  sun.  The  bear,  on  seeing  so  many  mounted  men  and 
hearing  the  sound  of  clanking  sabers,  stood  upon  his  hind 
feet  and  looked  on  in  apparent  astonishment  at  the  "pass- 
ing regiment."  There  was  a  white  spot  in  his  breast, 
affording  an  excellent  mark  for  a  carbine  or  a  pistol  shot, 
and  it  required  constant  watchfulness  and  precaution  on 
the  part  of  the  officers  to  prevent  the  men  from  taking  a 
shot  at  that  spot.  In  a  conversation  with  the  lady  of  the 
house  the  fact  was  disclosed  that  she  was  "horned  and 
raised  thare,"  that  she  was  "nigh  on  to  fort/'  years  old, 
and  had  never  seen  a  wagon.  She  knew  there  was  a  war 
in  progress  and  that  some  of  her  male  relatives  were 
engaged  in  it,  but  upon  which  side  she  was  not  so  sure. 
When  the  officer  with  whom  this  interesting  colloquy  was 
held  lifted  his  hat  to  say  good-bye,  the  lady  called  out: 
"Look  a-here,  mister,  can't  ye  give  us  a  chaw  of  terbacker  ?" 

The  pass  where  we  expected  to  intercept  the  enemy  and 
cut  off  his  retreat  was  finally  reached,  but,  to  our  great 
disappointment,  the  bird  had  flown.  A  heavy  shower  of 
rain  had  fallen  an  hour  or  two  before,  and  since  that  time 
they  had  taken  flight,  as  their  fresh  tracks  were  plainly 
visible  in  the  road. 

At  this  time  we  are  operating  on  the  left  wing  of  Sher- 
man's army,  now  about  to  make  the  unfortunate  assault 
upon  Kenesaw  Mountain,  June  10th.  For  this  point 
Stoneman's  cavalry  is  headed  and  we  are  fifteen  miles 
distant  when  the  first  attack  upon  Kenesaw  is  made.  The 
low,  rumbling  sound  of  artillery  is  plainly  heard  at  that 
distance,  and  louder  and  louder  as  we  draw  near,  like  the 
sound  of  an  approaching  thunderstorm.  It  is  not  difficult 
in  the  imagination  to  picture  the  conflict  as  it  rages,  for 
there  is  no  music  of  a  military  character  so  inspiring  as 


196  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

the  sound  of  distant  cannonading.  As  the  light  that 
attracts  the  moth  and  lures  him  to  his  death,  so  is  the 
sound  of  artillery  to  the  true  soldier,  when  it  is  known 
a  battle  is  on.  The  brass  band,  the  bugle  and  the  fife  and 
drum  have  their  uses  in  time  of  war,  and  by  their  inspiring 
notes  men  are  often  led  in  forlorn  hopes  to  do  gallant 
deeds,  but  there  is  a  grandeur  in  the  roar  of  artillery,  when 
the  earth  trembles  and  the  air  is  rent,  that  transposes  the 
coward  into  a  hero  and  leads  the  timid  up  to  the  "imminent 
deadly  breach." 

Marching  to  within  plain  view  of  the  conflict  now  raging 
on  Kenesaw  Mountain,  our  command  is  halted  and  held 
in  reserve,  and  from  this  point  we  watch  the  progress  of 
the  battle  throughout  the  day  and  into  the  night.  Union 
soldiers  in  their  dust-stained  uniforms,  with  musket  in 
hand,  recognizable  only  by  the  starry  banners  they  bear 
aloft,  are  still  advancing  over  the  rough  ground  in  broken 
lines,  clambering  over  rocks  and  ledges  difficult  of  ascent. 
Line  officers  with  sword  in  hand  are  seen  endeavoring  to 
keep  an  alignment,  and  at  the  same  time  urging  the  men 
forward,  amidst  a  shower  of  bullets  from  the  enemy's 
skirmishers  secreted  behind  fallen  timbers  and  boulders 
just  above,  while  solid  shot,  shell  and  canister  from  a  half 
hundred  big  guns  behind  heavy  works  planted  along  the 
mountain's  brow  are  plowing  into  their  ranks,  cutting 
brave  men  down  by  scores  and  hundreds.  Down  through 
the  brush  and  over  the  rocky  slopes  men  with  stretchers 
are  carrying  the  wounded  to  the  rear — the  dead  no  longer 
need  attention. 

First  from  the  right  and  again  on  the  left  and  center 
assault  after  assault  is  made,  but  the  enemy's  position  is 
impregnable,  every  approach  is  guarded  and  every  assault 
repulsed  with  terrible  slaughter  to  the  Union  troops.  As 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  197 

night  comes  on,  from  the  sides  and  apex  of  the  mountain 
fire  and  smoke  belch  forth  with  detonating  sound  like  the 
eruption  of  a  volcano,  but  hundreds  of  brave  men  lying 
among  the  rocks  below  no  longer  hear  the  "deep  thunder, 
peal  on  peal  afar/' 

A  field  hospital  is  established  near  by,  and  to  one  who 
must  stand  and  look  on  without  lending  a  helping  hand 
the  sight  is  appalling  and  cannot  well  be  described.  One 
thousand  three  hundred  and  seventy  are  already  dead  and 
beyond  the  help  of  the  surgeon's  knife ;  but,  alas !  the  six 
thousand  five  hundred  wounded  are  here,  and  may  God 
help  them  in  the  struggle  yet  to  come. 

From  the  middle  of  June  to  the  latter  part  of  July  in 
this  campaign  the  ground  was  stubbornly  contested,  and 
an  enemy  lurked  behind  every  stump  and  bush  as  we 
worked  along  the  banks  of 

THE  CHATTAHOOCHEE. 

Every  day  and  every  night  for  thirty  days  and  nights 
in  succession,  while  on  the  Nickajack  and  other  small 
branches  of  this  river,  our  cavalry  was  in  the  saddle  and 
under  fire.  The  weather  was  extremely  hot,  and  in  many 
places  the  ground  low  and  swampy.  The  army  everywhere 
was  scantily  fed  and  no  opportunity  given  for  cleanliness 
or  a  change  of  clothing;  no  time  could  be  taken  to  muster 
for  pay,  and  money  was  as  scarce  as  soap. 

Dismounting  one  day  for  water  and  rest,  the  men  sought 
the  shelter  of  the  surrounding  bushes  for  protection  from 
the  burning  sun.  The  mouths  of  our  canteens,  from  fre- 
quent use,  had  become  salty  in  taste,  and  a  little  greasy; 
enough  so  at  least  to  make  them  attractive  for  flies,  and 
the  nozzle  of  a  canteen  when  set  aside  in  the  shade  would 
be  covered  with  fly-blows  in  twenty  minutes'  time. 


198  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

One  day  Sergeant  Homer  Manvel  of  Company  F  was 
sitting  on  the  ground  under  a  bush  with  his  long  legs 
curled  up  under  him  tailor-fashion,  bareheaded,  and  with 
no  clothing  on  but  a  shirt  and  a  pair  of  trousers.  While 
stooped  forward  and  ruminating  upon  the  pleasure  of  the 
hour  a  lizard  popped  up  over  his  back  and  perching  on 
his  right  shoulder  peered  inquiringly  into  the  Sergeant's 
face.  Whereupon  Manvel  raised  his  left  hand  slowly  and 
cautiously  as  if  to  make  sure  of  his  aim,  and  struck 
viciously  at  the  intruder.  But,  like  a  flash,  the  lizard 
dodged  and  instantly  appeared  on  the  opposite  shoulder. 
After  the  second  attempt  to  strike  was  made  the  lizard 
jumped  off  and  disappeared  in  the  brush.  Upon  this 
Manvel  drawled  out  in  a  half  sour  and  half  humorous  vein 
the  following:  "You  may  talk  as  much  as  you  like  about 
the  beauties  of  the  'Sunny  South/  but  for  my  part  I've 
got  about  enough  of  it.  Give  me  the  State  of  Ohio  for 
the  balance  of  my  soldiering,  if  you  please." 

Whenever  the  Chattahoochee  Eiver  was  approached 
within  rifle  range,  there  was  almost  certain  to  come  a  shot 
from  the  enemy.  One  night  when  below  on  the  extreme 
right  a  company  of  fifty  men  was  ordered  to  establish  a 
courier  line  with  the  main  army  on  the  river,  twenty  miles 
above.  The  road  to  be  followed  was  supposed  to  run 
parallel  with  the  stream.  The  night  was  dark  and  the 
country  roads  were  rough  and  heavily  wooded.  The 
orders  were  not  to  fire  upon  an  enemy  unless  compelled 
to  do  so  in  self-defense. 

Courier  lines  are  established  in  this  way:  First  ad- 
vancing a  distance  of  about  five  miles,  or  to  some  desig- 
nated point  on  the  route  to  be  covered,  a  halt  is  made  and 
a  post  established  consisting  of  three  or  five  men  with  a 
non-commissioned  officer  in  command.  From  this  point 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  199 

a  courier  is  started  back  with  whatever  there  may  be  to 
report.  Then  moving  on,  regularly  every  five  or  six 
miles  thereafter,  posts  are  established  and  couriers  sent 
back.  When  the  entire  distance  is  covered  and  the  end 
of  the  route  is  reached  you  have  a  courier  line  carrying 
news  or  orders  from  one  part  of  the  army  to  another 
every  two  hours  or  every  four  hours,  as  may  be  required. 
This  kind  of  service  in  late  years  is  carried  on  by  use  of 
telegraph  or  telephone  lines. 

On  the  night  in  question,  not  knowing  the  country  or 
the  roads,  and  having  no  guide,  we  often  ran  close  to  the 
river,  and  as  often  the  enemy  took  a  pop  shot  at  us.  One 
of  these  shots  raked  the  pommel  of  my  saddle  and  a  man 
and  horse  were  wounded. 

When  the  distance  was  half  covered  (some  time  before 
daylight)  we  reached  a  ford  and  a  cotton  gin  on  the 
banks  of  the  river.  The  instructions  were  to  remain  here 
with  a  detachment  of  twenty  men,  having  the  cotton  gin 
for  a  cover,  and  to  hold  the  crossing  until  relieved.  From 
this  point  the  balance  of  the  command  went  forward  to 
complete  the  line. 

We  lay  down  in  the  gin  and  it  was  broad  daylight  when 
I  awoke  to  discover  we  were  in  plain  view  of  the  opposite 
banks,  on  which  was  an  encampment  of  rebel  soldiers,  not 
more  than  150  yards  distant.  Just  as  I  stepped  outside 
three  or  four  of  the  enemy  arose  and  started  for  the  river, 
but  a  few  paces  from  their  camp,  to  take  a  morning 
plunge.  By  this  time  a  number  of  our  men  were  up.  On 
discovering  us  the  Johnnies  called  out,  "Hello  there, 
Yank!  Are  you  fellows  going  to  shoot?"  "Not  so  long 
as  you  do  not  interfere  with  us,"  was  the  reply.  "Well, 
we-uns  don't  shoot  unless  you-uns  do,"  came  back  the 
response.  Everybody  being  satisfied  with  this  assurance, 


2OO 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


a  few  minutes  later,  both  commands  (some  twenty  or 
thirty  men  on  a  side)  were  in  the  water  bathing  and  ex- 
changing jokes  and  pleasantries.  Some  of  the  more  ven- 
turesome waded  out  midway  of  the  stream  and  there  met, 
exchanging  coffee  for  tobacco,  and  vice  versa.  At  12 
o'clock  that  day  we  were  ordered  away,  and  the  good-bye 
salutations  with  our  friends,  the  enemy  on  the  opposite 
side,  were  cordial  and  altogether  friendly. 

One  morning,  while  trying  to  force  a  crossing  of  the 
Chattahoochee,  I  was  ordered  to  take  the  advance  with 
two  companies,  and  drive  in  the  enemy's  skirmishers.  In 
pressing  forward  a  heavy  fire  was  encountered,  when  the 
command  was  dismounted  and  on  foot  charged  up  through 
a  girdling  where  the  dead  timber  was  still  standing.  The 
enemy  were  hidden  in  a  thicket  behind  the  fence  on  the 
farther  side  of  the  field.  As  we  advanced  they  opened  a 
galling  fire,  forcing  us  to  the  trees  for  shelter.  The  fusil- 
lade was  kept  up,  and  the  tree  that  fell  to  my  lot  was 
inadequate  to  cover  me;  while  John  Blossom  (a  boy  of 
seventeen)  reached  a  tree  of  ample  proportions,  not  more 
than  ten  feet  distant.  One  bullet  had  already  struck  my 
coat  sleeve  and  another  glancing  off  the  tree  caused  the 
splinters  to  fly,  when  Blossom,  noticing  the  danger,  said: 
"Captain,  you  had  better  come  here  and  let  me  go  there. 
This  tree  will  give  you  a  better  cover,  and  that  one  is 
big  enough  for  me."  About  this  time  reinforcements 
came  up,  and  together  we  made  a  charge  and  cleared  the 
field,  and  the  next  serious  event  we  have  to  record  is  the 
running  into 

A  MASKED  BATTERY. 

Going  into  a  camp  the  following  afternoon  about  4 
o'clock,  I  was  ordered  out  with  a  large  party  to  secure 
forage  close  to  the  Chattahoochee.  We  carried  no  arms 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  201 

but  pistols,  and  ropes  to  tie  up  the  grain  in  bundles  con- 
venient for  carrying  on  horseback.  The  orders  were  to 
proceed  to  a  certain  road  or  crossing  of  roads,  and  there 
halt  and  deploy  skirmishers,  and  in  this  manner  advance 
on  foot  to  a  field  supposed  to  be  a  short  distance  beyond. 
We  reached  the  place  designated,  and  about  twenty  men 
were  already  advancing  as  skirmishers.  The  balance  of 
the  command,  not  yet  dismounted,  were  in  the  middle  of 
the  road  in  column  of  fours.  On  the  right  was  open  pine 
timber  ^close  at  hand,  and  on  the  left  a  plowed  field  ex- 
tending some  distance  in  the  direction  of  the  river.  I 
knew  the  Chattahoochee  was  not  far  away,  and  was  ap- 
prehensive of  danger,  but  orders  must  be  carried  out. 

At  this  moment,  boom!  boom!  came  a  couple  of  shots 
from  a  battery  not  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  dis- 
tant. They  were  solid  shots  and  went  into  the  plowed 
ground  a  few  feet  from  the  center  of  the  column,  shower- 
ing men  and  horses  with  dirt  and  gravel.  Every  man  to  the 
rear  of  where  the  shots  struck  immediately  wheeled  and 
ran  for  shelter.  The  balance  were  held  long  enough  to 
receive  a  command;  when  bang!  bang!  came  two  more  shots. 
These  passed  just  over  our  heads  and  went  through  the 
tree-tops  a  little  beyond.  The  gunners  were  evidently  get- 
ting the  range  on  us,  and  had  we  remained  longer,  the 
third  shot  doubtless  would  have  proved  the  "charm." 
Falling  limbs  cut  from  the  tree-tops  overhead  struck 
among  men  and  horses,  causing  the  ranks  to  break,  and 
as  the  battery  was  masked  and  on  the  opposite  side  of  the 
river,  the  only  sensible  thing  to  do  was  to  get  out  of  range 
as  soon  as  possible.  With  this  the  command  was  given, 
"Fours  right  about!"  and,  galloping  to  the  rear,  we  were 
soon  out  of  reach  of  the  battery.  They  fired  several  more 
shots,  but  no  serious  damage  was  done. 


2O2 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


Meantime,  the  men  who  first  stampeded  had  gone  pell- 
mell  into  camp  and  reported  the  column  cut  to  pieces  by 
a  masked  battery.  While  returning  in  good  order  we  met 
an  ambulance  and  surgeons  with  an  escort  coming  out  to 
gather  up  the  dead  and  wounded.  This  proved  an  occa- 
sion for  a  pretty  good  joke  on  the  foraging  party,  and  the 
boys  who  remained  in  camp  wanted  to  know  how  we  all 
liked  "foraging." 

Through  the  sultry  summer  months  Sherman's  slow  but 
resistless  march  was  unimpeded.  Kesace,  Kenesaw  and 
Allatoona  had  received  their  baptism  of  fire,  and  the 
Union  army  at  last  across  the  Chattahoochee  is  thun- 
dering 

AT  THE  GATES  OF  ATLANTA. 

After  Hood's  sortie  and  defeat  on  the  22d  of  July  there 
was  a  cessation  of  hostilities.  The  losses  sustained  by  the 
Confederates  in  this  engagement  were  much  greater  than 
those  of  the  Federals  at  Kenesaw  Mountain,  to  wit :  Killed, 
2,482;  wounded,  4,000;  missing,  2.017,  the  Federal  loss 
being  500  killed,  2,141  wounded  and  1,000  missing.  It  is 
not  surprising  that  after  the  prolonged  marches  and  aggre- 
gate losses  of  the  campaign  up  to  that  time  it  did  not 
require  a  formal  truce  for  both  armies  to  settle  down  for 
a  little  rest  and  recuperation. 

During  this  lull  Stoneman  was  ordered  to  report  with 
his  command  at  Decatur,  on  the  left  wing,  seven  miles 
to  the  northeast  from  Atlanta.  The  march  from  the  right 
to  the  left  was  made  just  in  the  rear  of  the  army  now 
hovering  around  the  doomed  city  in  the  shape  of  a  crescent 
or  quarter  circle  for  a  distance  of  twenty-four  miles. 
While  making  this  move  in  the  night  an  ambulance  train 
was  encountered  carrying  the  wounded  to  the  rear  from 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  203 

the  battle  of  the  22  d.  It  was  at  the  crossing  of  a  creek 
having  steep  banks  and  a  rough  and  stony  bottom.  We 
were  compelled  to  stand  by  the  roadside  while  seventy-five 
ambulances  with  wounded  men  passed  over.  The  condi- 
tion of  the  ground  shook  the  ambulances,  rolling  and 
wrenching  the  men  so  as  to  open  afresh  their  wounds,  and 
the  prayers,  groans  and  curses  caused  by  this  rough  hand- 
ling were  distressing  to  hear.  For  two  long  hours  we  sat 
there  in  the  gloomy  night,  waiting  for  this  procession  to 
pass. 

But  somewhere  in  this  great  army,  if  still  alive,  was  my 
brother,  and  while  making  this  change  in  the  field  of 
operations  it  occurred  to  me  that  now,  if  ever,  was  the 
time  to  find  him.  So,  gaining  permission  to  leave  my 
command  for  a  day,  mounted  on  a  good  horse,  early  on 
the  following  morning  I  started  out. 

Sherman's  army  of  seasoned  veterans,  one  hundred 
thousand  strong,  with  every  gun  primed  and  every  bayonet 
fixed,  now  lay  crouching  like  a  wild  beast  ready  for  a 
deadly  spring  in  front  of  Atlanta.  The  hunt  for  a  single 
man  in  this  vast  host  was  undertaken  with  as  little  hope 
of  success  as  the  exploration  of  the  haystack  for  the  pro- 
verbial needle.  Had  I  been  a  spy,  however,  in  the  service 
of  the  enemy  I  could  have  carried  away  with  me  that  day 
information  as  valuable  to  the  Confederacy  as  the  price 
offered  for  a  horse  by  Eichard  the  Third  on  Bosworth 
Field.  By  corps;  brigades,  divisions  and  batteries  I  in- 
spected the  troops,  counted  the  various  guns  and  noted 
their  positions.  But  it  was  not  until  4  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  that  I  succeeded  in  locating  the  25th  Michigan 
Infantry,  First  Brigade,  Second  Division,  23d  Army  Corps 
(if  my  memory  serves  me  right),  there  hoping  to  find  my 
brother. 


204  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Hiding  up  to  the  front,  in  plain  view  of  the  city  and 
the  rehel  works,  I  soon  discovered  a  battery  of  brass  pieces 
mounted  in  barbette  and  glistening  in  the  sun.  Toward 
them  my  horse  was  headed,  but  just  then  crash  went  a 
shell  from  the  enemy  through  the  pine  treetops,  and  I 
deemed  it  only  a  matter  of  good  judgment  to  dismount, 
tie  my  horse  and  find  my  way  for  the  remainder  of  the 
journey  on  foot.  Coming  close  to  the  battery,  I  could  see 
no  signs  of  life  anywhere,  and  wondered  if  the  troops  were 
all  asleep,  dead  or  had  abandoned  the  guns  to  their  fate. 
When  but  a  few  paces  from  the  breastworks  I  came  upon 
a  freshly  dug  pit  about  eight  feet  square  and  six  feet  deep. 
Nerving  myself  for  the  worst,  I  advanced,  expecting  to  find 
the  bottom  of  the  pit  covered  with  dead  men,  and  possibly 
among  them  the  object  of  my  search.  But,  greatly  to  my 
relief,  I  found  the  brother,  in  company  with  three  other 
officers,  engaged  in  a  social  game  of  euchre.  After  the 
warm  greetings  which  such  a  meeting  might  be  expected 
to  call  forth,  he  took  from  his  pocket  the  watch  and  chain 
which  has  been  for  so  long  a  time  an  object  of  more  or  less 
concern. 

The  fortunes  of  war  were  such,  however,  that  my  stay 
here  could  be  but  short,  as  the  regiment  was  already  under 
orders  to  be  prepared  at  3  o'clock  the  next  morning,  with 
only  picked  men  and  horses  of  the  command,  each  carrying 
three  days'  rations  and  100  rounds  of  ammunition,  to  enter 
upon  a  hazardous  raid  into  the  heart  of  the  enemy's 
country.  Desperate  fighting  was  liable  to  begin  where  we 
stood  at  any  moment,  and  under  these  circumstances  we 
could  find  very  little  with  which  to  cheer  and  congratulate 
each  other  on  the  prospect  of  the  future.  It  was  agreed 
upon,  however,  that  should  one  come  through  the  war  in 
safety  and  the  other  be  killed,  it  should  be  incumbent  upon 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  205 

the  survivor  to  see  the  remains  taken  from  the  soil  of  the 
then  inhospitable  South  and  decently  buried  in  the  old 
family  grounds.  While  this  agreement  was  eminently  satis- 
factory, it  was  not  entered  upon  with  that  degree  of  hearti- 
ness and  good  cheer  that  might  be  expected  ordinarily 
between  two  brothers  closing  amicably  for  all  time  so  im- 
portant a  family  matter. 

Before  leaving,  however,  being  a  cavalryman,  I  had  a 
curiosity  to  inspect  the  field  pieces,  look  over  the  works  a 
little,  and,  with  my  brother  to  explain,  find  out  just  how 
the  infantry  "did  it."  Accordingly,  coming  up  from  the 
shelter  of  the  pit  we  had  been  up  to  this  time  occupying, 
we  walked  along  behind  the  earthworks  until,  coming  to 
the  battery,  I  sprang  upon  the  parquette,  and,  looking 
over  the  field  to  the  front,  could  see  our  own  and  the 
enemy's  pickets  and  sharpshooters  but  a  short  distance 
apart,  lying  between  the  opposing  lines,  looking  innocent 
and  harmless  enough,  as  they  lounged  on  stumps  and  fallen 
timbers  in  their  shirtsleeves,  apparently  paying  no  atten- 
tion to  each  other  whatever.  But  on  stooping  forward  to 
look  into  the  muzzle  of  one  of  the  guns,  zip !  went  a  bullet 
close  to  my  ear,  when  my  brother,  with  a  good  deal  of 
earnestness  in  his  voice,  said,  ffYou  had  better  come  down 
from  there,  you  will  draw  the  enemy's  fire."  Having  no 
desire  to  draw  anybody's  fire,  and  my  curiosity  being  en- 
tirely satisfied,  I  took  his  advice  and  "came"  down  with- 
out unnecessary  delay.  This  done,  there  seemed  little  left 
for  us  but  to  say  good-bye,  and  my  brother's  last  words  to 
me  as  I  struck  out  for  camp  were :  "Look  out,  my  boy, 
or  you  will  lose  that  watch  again." 

Promptly  at  3  o'clock  the  next  morning  Stoneman's 
cavalry  started  on  the  memorable  raid  undertaken  in  part 
for  the  release  of  the  Federal  prisoners  at 


206  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

MACON  AND  AKDEKSONTILLE. 

Demonstrations  by  the  cavalry  elsewhere  were  made  in 
concert  with  this  movement  to  draw  the  attention  of  the 
enemy,  and  thus  enable  Stoneman  to  pass  through  the  lines 
to  the  rear  of  Atlanta  without  bringing  on  a  general 
engagement.  This  part  of  the  program  was  successful, 
but  Generals  Girrard  and  McCook,  each  in  command  of  a 
division  on  the  right,  who  were  to  have  moved  simul- 
taneously with  Stoneman  and  join  him  at  Lovejoy's  Station 
on  the  Macon  Eoad,  meeting  with  reverses  were  compelled 
to  turn  back,  and  the  junction  with  Stoneman  was  never 
formed,  so  the  latter,  with  only  1,700  men  and  two  pieces 
of  light  artillery,  was  left  to  work  out  his  salvation  alone 
in  the  heart  of  the  enemy's  country,  having  the  whole  Con- 
federate Army  under  Hood  between  him  and  the  Federal 
lines.  The  command  under  Stoneman  consisted  of  Com- 
pany D,  7th  Ohio  Infantry  (escort  to  the  General;  14th 
Illinois,  8th  Michigan,  5th  Indiana,  24th  Indiana  Battery 
(one  section),  McLaughlin's  Squadron  Ohio  Cavalry  and 
the  5th  and  llth  Kentucky  Cavalry.  Stoneman  ranked 
as  Major-General  and  had  been  assigned  to  the  command 
of  all  the  cavalry  cooperating  in  this  movement. 

At  the  appointed  rendezvous,  however,  a  halt  was  made 
for  several  hours,  in  anticipation  of  receiving  some  intelli- 
gence from  the  delinquent  commands,  and  scouting  parties 
were  sent  out  to  that  end.  While  thus  in  waiting  two  or 
three  officers  called  at  a  farmhouse  near  by  and  asked  the 
lady  if  she  would  be  -kind  enough  to  provide  them  a  dinner, 
informing  her  at  the  same  time  she  would  be  liberally  paid 
for  the  accommodation.  She  readily  consented,  and  in  a 
short  time  an  abundant  and  wholesome  meal  was  prepared. 
While  at  the  table  a  general  conversation  was  carried  on 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  207 

between  the  officers  and  the  lady  of  the  house,  who  seemed 
to  be  alone.  In  the  course  of  the  meal  it  was  in  some  way 
revealed  to  her  that  we  were  on  our  way  to  Macon  and 
Andersonville  for  the  purpose  of  capturing  those  places 
and  releasing  the  Federal  prisoners  there  confined. 
Whereupon  the  lady  disclosed  the  fact  that  her  husband 
was  in  the  Confederate  Army,  and  then  doing  duty  as  a 
guard  at  a  prison  in  Macon,  and  "Oh!  gentlemen,"  she 
said,  "when  you  capture  my  husband,  for  God's  sake  be 
merciful  and  treat  him  kindly,"  and  then  she  gave  us  his 
name  and  regiment.  She  was  assured  in  all  sincerity  that 
her  request  would  meet  with  consideration  at  our  hands, 
but  some  one  of  the  party  was  thoughtful  enough  to  remind 
her  of  the  old  recipe  for  cooking  a  fish,  viz. :  to  catch  the 
fish  first;  and,  as  events  transpired  a  few  days  thereafter, 
it  would  have  been  better  for  us,  perhaps,  had  the  terms 
been  reversed  and  her  husband  obligated  in  some  way  to 
be  "merciful,"  and  treat  us  kindly  when  captured,  for 
within  fifteen  days  from  that  time  he  must  have  been 
holding  a  bayonet  over  our  heads,  as  we  were  all  prisoners 
of  war  and  securely  lodged  in  Macon. 

Disappointed  at  the  failure  of  Girrard  and  McCook  to 
make  the  connection  with  us,  but  animated  by  the  spirit 
that  moves  the  breast  of  every  man  when  in  the  act  of 
going  to  the  relief  of  some  fellow-being  in  distress,  the 
command  pushed  on  by  day  and  night,  reaching  the  north- 
western bank  of  the  Ocmulgee  Elver  opposite  Macon  in 
the  early  morning  of  the  30th. 

A  battery  supported  by  infantry  and  intrenched  on  the 
opposite  side  made  it  impossible  for  our  cavalry,  armed 
with  light  carbines,  to  effect  a  crossing  and  enter  Macon. 
Desultory  fighting  was  kept  up,  however,  until  4  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  of  that  day,  when  Stoneman  announced 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

his  determination  to  retreat,  taking  the  back  track,  not- 
withstanding this  movement  met  the  disapproval  of  nearly 
every  officer  in  his  command. 

Meantime  detachments  had  been  dispatched  along  the 
railroads  leading  to  Milledgeville,  Eatonton,  Monticello 
and  other  points,  destroying  railroad  tracks,  burning 
bridges,  mills,  factories  and  other  public  property  amount- 
ing to  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars.  A  detail  con- 
sisting of  about  100  men  was  sent  out  for  the  purpose  of 
destroying  the  track  between  Macon  and  Milledgeville,  in 
order  to  circumvent  any  attempt  that  might  be  made  to 
run  in  troops  from  the  latter  place  to  reinforce  Macon  or 
to  attack  us  from  the  rear. 

Our  first  halt  was  at  a  point  where  the  track  ran  along 
the  steep  bank  of  a  millpond  on  which  was  located  a  large 
flouring  mill.  The  various  devices  in  vogue  by  the  army 
for  destroying  railroads  were  now  resorted  to.  First,  about 
200  yards  of  track  were  taken  up  and  turned  over  bodily 
down  the  embankment  into  the  pond — ties,  rails  and  all. 
Meantime  fires  were  built  on  the  track  in  other  places,  so 
that  the  expansion  of  the  rails  doubled  them  into  the  form 
of  an  elbow.  Still  others,  taking  up  the  rails,  placed  them 
side  by  side  with  the  ends  resting  on  ties  or  some  other 
object  elevated  a  few  feet  above  the  ground,  and  fires  were 
built  on  top  of  the  rails  in  the  center.  As  the  heat 
increased  they  settled,  forming  a  bend  till  the  ground  was 
reached,  rendering  them  worthless  for  the  time  being. 
Often  a  half  dozen  men  would  pick  up  a  rail  already  heated 
in  the  middle  (the  ends  remaining  cool)  and  wind  it 
around  the  nearest  tree  or  telegraph  pole.  After  complet- 
ing this  work,  just  as  we  started  away  I  looked  back  and 
saw  with  regret  the  flouring  mill  in  flames.  Even  after 
the  most  diligent  inquiry  among  the  men  I  was  never 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  209 

able  to  find  out  who  set  the  mill  on  fire.  Certainly  it  was 
not  done  through  my  orders,  though  such  an  act  in  time 
of  war  is  considered  legitimate,  for  the  mill  had  been 
running  day  and  night,  manufacturing  flour  and  meal  for 
the  Confederate  Army. 

While  the  work  of  destroying  track  was  going  hurriedly 
forward,  the  pickets  on  duty  in  the  direction  of  Milledge- 
ville  discovered  an  engine  with  three  or  four  cars  coming 
under  a  full  head  of  steam.  The  instructions  were,  if  a 
train  approached,  to  keep  out  of  sight  till  it  ran  up  to  or 
into  the  break  in  the  track,  and  then  to  attack  them  from 
ambush  and  capture  the  outfit,  whatever  it  might  be.  In 
this  case  the  order  was  successfully  carried  out  and  an 
engine  and  three  cars,  loaded  with  mules  and  ammuni- 
tion, with  a  small  guard  of  Confederate  soldiers,  were 
captured.  The  entire  train  and  its  contents  were  destroyed 
at  once  and  the  prisoners  soon  after  paroled. 

Despite  orders  and  discipline,  on  a  raid  like  this  in  the 
enemy's  country,  it  is  impossible  to  prevent  now  and  then 

AST  ACT  OF  VANDALISM. 

A  negro  woman  came  to  one  of  our  men  on  picket  duty 
some  distance  from  that  part  of  the  command  engaged 
in  destroying  track  on  the  Milledgeville  road,  and  told 
him  her  mistress  (who  was  the  wife  of  a  Confederate 
General  then  in  the  field)  had  a  large  quantity  of  money 
and  jewelry  buried  on  the  plantation  not  far  from  the 
house  near  the  picket  post.  Accordingly,  the  soldier,  with 
the  colored  woman  for  a  guide,  went  to  the  spot  desig- 
nated, and,  sure  enough,  there,  in  a  tin  box  buried  beneath 
the  ground,  he  found  gold  coins,  watches,  rings,  bracelets, 
and  other  trinkets  galore.  Doubtless,  had  he  discovered 
the  reputed  treasures  of  Captain  Kidd,  his  delight  could 


210 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


not  have  been  greater,  and  being  generous  to  a  fault,  he 
returned  and  at  once  began  bestowing  presents  upon  his 
comrades.  In  this  way  an  account  of  the  affair  soon 
reached  my  ears;  but  how  much  there  was  of  the  coin  I 
never  was  able  to  learn.  A  short  time  after,  however,  we 
were  ordered  away  in  haste,  and  reaching  General  Stone- 
man's  headquarters  in  front  of  Macon,  we  there  found  the 
soldier  in  question  under  arrest,  and  General  Stoneman  in 
a  white  heat,  threatening  to  have  him  tied  to  a  gun  car- 
riage and  shot.  The  old  colored  woman,  it  seems,  had 
become  conscience-stricken,  and  voluntarily  told  her  mis- 
tress the  circumstances  connected  with  the  loss  of  the 
money  and  jewelry;  and  at  once  making  her  way  through 
the  lines,  the  lady  reported  these  facts  to  General  Stone- 
man.  Of  course,  I  lost  no  time  in  going  to  him  in  behalf 
of  the  soldier,  explaining  that  the  money  and  jewelry 
could  all  be  restored  to  its  owner;  that  the  men  had  taken 
it  thoughtlessly,  as  they  would  pick  up  a  coin  or  a  purse 
in  the  public  highway.  Accordingly,  when  all  on  duty  at 
that  post  were  called  up  and  the  facts  presented,  the 
money  and  valuables  in  their  possession  were  delivered  up, 
and  most  of  it,  at  least,  was  restored  to  the  rightful  owner. 
The  citizens  in  the  country  through  which  we  passed 
were  panic-stricken,  and  often  deserted  their  homes, 
thereby  making  them  much  more  liable  to  plunder  or 
desecration.  But  for  all  that,  except  for  the  soldiers' 
necessaries,  such  as  horses  or  mules  to  ride,  and  bread 
and  bacon  to  eat,  there  was  very  little  plundering  done. 
The  people,  ignorant  of  the  facts,  had  been  told  the 
Yankees  were  out  for  rapine,  murder,  and  arson,  and  that 
they  must  expect  the  worst  whenever  the  invaders  reached 
their  homes.  But,  forced  to  abandon  Macon,  General 
Stoneman  now  decided  upon 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  211 

A  RETROGRADE  MOVEMENT. 

Accordingly,  the  retreat  began  about  5  o'clock  that 
evening,  and  Company  F  formed  a  part  of  the  advance 
guard.  When  near  Clinton,  about  twelve  miles  to  the 
north  from  Macon,  a  negro  came  to  the  command  with 
the  information  that  a  large  scouting  party  of  the  enemy 
were  occupying  the  town.  Acting  on  this  intelligence,  we 
charged  into  the  place  on  different  roads,  capturing  about 
twenty,  and  after  establishing  outlying  pickets,  picked  up 
others  who  came  straggling  in  later.  Clinton  was  the 
county  seat,  and  in  the  jail  were  found  fifteen  or  twenty  of 
our  men,  who  had  been  captured  on  the  downward  march. 
Releasing  these  and  other  prisoners,  citizens  as  well  as 
soldiers,  the  building  was  set  on  fire  and  we  soon  moved 
away  by  the  light  of  it;  but,  plunging  into  the  darkness 
again,  had  proceeded  but  a  short  distance  before  coming 
upon  another  detachment  of  the  enemy.  They  fell  back 
from  point  to  point,  apparently  doubling  up  in  numbers, 
as  we  pressed  steadily  forward. 

The  route  took  us  through  a  wooded  country,  and  about 
midnight,  after  turning  an  angle  in  the  road,  from  an 
elevated  position  a  few  yards  ahead,  there  came  a  succes- 
sion of  volleys  that  brought  our  command  to  a  halt,  and 
at  the  first  round  two  or  three  men  and  horses  were 
wounded.  This  rapid  fire  compelled  us  to  dismount  and 
lead  out  into  the  timber  for  shelter,  there  to  await  orders 
from  the  commanding  General. 

Orders  came  to  barricade,  and  then  to  advance  as 
skirmishers  on  each  side  of  the  road,  the  writer  with  one 
company  being  in  command  on  the  right.  The  night  was 
intensely  dark,  and  the  only  way  an  alignment  could  be 
maintained  was  to  pass  orders  from  left  te  right  in  a  low 


212 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


voice,  and  by  this  precaution  keep  the  enemy  in  doubt  as 
to  our  movement  and  locality.  We  had  advanced  in  this 
manner  but  a  short  distance,  when  the  challenge  rang  out, 
directly  in  front:  "Who  comes  there?" 

It  might  be  the  enemy  or  it  might  be  some  of  our  own 
command,  in  the  darkness,  and  the  answer  was  given 
somewhat  evasively:  "The  Eighth." 

"Eighth  what?"  was  demanded. 

"Eighth  Michigan,"  I  replied,  following  this  at  once 
with: 

"What  regiment  is  that?" 

"First  Alabama." 

And,  immediately  giving  the  command,  "Fire  and  ad- 
vance," on  moving  a  few  paces  to  the  front  we  came 
upon  the  dead  body  of  a  Confederate  soldier.  Daylight, 
which  soon  came  on,  revealed  a  bullet  hole  through  his 
head.  This  undoubtedly  was  the  man  who  first  chal- 
lenged. First  Sergeant  Homer  Manvel  was  shot  at  and 
missed  by  a  man  but  a  few  feet  in  front  of  him;  when  his 
assailant  sprang  forward  and  seized  the  Sergeant  around 
both  arms,  calling  on  his  comrades  for  help.  But  holding 
a  six-shooter  in  his  hand,  and  being  a  powerful  man, 
Manvel  pressed  it  to  his  adversary's  side,  shooting  him 
dead  in  his  tracks. 

Again  advancing,  over  fallen  timber,  through  brambles, 
and  across  gulches,  firing  as  we  went,  the  point  where  the 
enemy  had  been  entrenched  behind  barricades  was 
reached  soon  after  daylight.  This  disclosed  them  in  force 
about  a  mile  and  a  half  down  the  road  in  the  open  coun- 
try, just  beyond  a  little  hamlet  called 

"SUNSHINE  CHURCH." 
It  was  now  "Sunday,  July  31st,  and  the  sun  of  that 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  213 

bright  Sabbath  morning  had  just  reached  the  spire  of  the 
little  house  of  worship,  when  a  forward  movement  of  all 
our  forces  was  ordered.  Our  troops  soon  took  up  a  posi- 
tion near  by,  and  planted  the  two  pieces  of  artillery  just 
outside  the  churchyard. 

The  services  held  there  that  day,  though  impressive 
enough,  were  not  conducted  in  strict  accordance  with 
orthodox  usages;  for  army  surgeons  at  that  time,  no  mat- 
ter what  may  have  been  their  other  virtues,  were  not 
noted  for  extreme  piety.  The  place,  however,  served  well 
as  a  hospital,  and  its  floors  and  aisles  were  soon  filled 
with  wounded  men. 

Our  troops  on  foot  charged  three  times,  but  were  re- 
pulsed as  often.  That  we  were  unable  to  cut  our  way 
through  this  force,  when  all  the  facts  are  considered,  is 
not  surprising.  Men  in  a  state  of  extreme  physical  ex- 
haustion and  paralyzed  by  loss  of  sleep  are  not  so  formida- 
ble as  when,  rising  fresh  and  vigorous,  they  enter  upon 
the  duties  of  the  day  with  a  will  and  determination  that 
render  them  invincible.  It  was  impossible  to  keep  the 
men  awake  that  day  when  under  fire  and  on  the  skirmish 
line.  As  soon  as  a  partial  cover  was  reached,  a  stump,  a 
rock,  or  a  bush,  they  fell  asleep,  oblivious  of  all  danger. 
In  addition  to  this  handicap  we  were  confronted  with  a 
force  superior  in  numbers.  According  to'  the  official 
report  of  Confederate  General  Joseph  Wheeler,  three 
brigades  of  his  cavalry  were  in  front  of  us.  They  were 
strongly  barricaded,  with  artillery,  in  a  well  chosen  posi- 
tion. The  Division  was  under  General  Irverson,  and  con- 
sisted of  his  own,  and  the  brigades  of  General  Allen  and 
Colonel  Breckenridge. 

But  another  serious  handicap — one  of  our  best  regi- 
ments under  ordinary  circumstances  (the  5th  Kentucky), 


214  With  Touch  of  Elbow, 

was  within  fifteen  days  of  the  expiration  of  its  term  of  serv- 
ice; and  when  the  real  test  came,  and  the  advance  had 
reached  within  a  fow  yards  of  the  enemy's  barricade,  the 
Kentuckians  faltered  and  could  not  be  urged  forward. 
This  staggered  the  whole  line,  which  finally  broke  and  fell 
back  in  disorder  on  our  reserve.  Colonel  Adams,  with 
sword  in  hand  and  bareheaded,  went  to  the  front  of  his 
line  and  begged  his  men  to  come  forward,  appealing  to 
their  State  pride,  but  his  commands  fell  upon  deaf  ears. 

In  the  retreat  which  soon  followed,  the  troops  had  to 
cross  a  ravine  in  the  center  of  which  was  a  dry  run.  The 
water  in  coursing  down  this  gulch  had  cut  a  deep  channel 
which,  when  entered,  afforded  a  temporary  cover.  Into 
this  I  entered,  calling  upon  the  men  to  follow.  But  a 
little  farther  on  the  channel  grew  deeper,  and  soon  we 
came  to  where  the  water  had  cut  a  perpendicular  embank- 
ment in  front  and  on  both  sides  about  eight  feet  deep,  the 
bottom  where  we  stood  proving  to  be  a  bed  of  quicksand. 

The  enemy  had  by  this  time  left  their  barricades  and 
were  now  on  the  ridge  we  had  left  but  a  few  moments 
before,  firing  into  the  retreating  ranks.  To  turn  and  go 
out  of  the  ditch  the  way  we  came  in  would  expose  us  to  a 
galling  fire,  and  probably  to  capture.  The  men  tried  in 
vain  to  jump  and  catch  the  brush  on  the  edge  of  the 
banks,  but  the  more  they  struggled  the  farther  they  sank 
into  the  treacherous  bottom. 

We  were  certainly  in  a  trap,  and  for  a  moment  I  thought 
lost.  But  as  I  was  jumping  to  catch  hold  of  something  on 
the  bank,  Sergeant  Jeff  Mills,  a  tall,  powerful  man,  seized 
me  around  the  hips  and  raised  me  up  so  that  I  caught  the 
overhanging  bushes  and  by  their  aid  soon  pulled  myself 
out.  Mills  was  able  to  follow;  and  in  this  manner  one 
after  another  of  the  men  were  helped  from  the  ditch  until 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  215 

all  were  out  on  the  bank,  save  one.  But  this  position 
brought  us  within  range  of  the  enemy's  shots,  and  all  hur- 
ried away  into  the  brush  out  of  range  and  temporarily  out 
of  sight.  As  I  started  with  others,  I  overheard  the  voice 
of  someone  still  in  the  ditch,  and  looking  down  saw  Ser- 
geant W.  S.  Wells  standing  in  the  sand  above  his  knees. 
I  never  shall  forget  the  look  of  reproach  he  gave  me  when 
he  called  out,  "Cap,  you're  not  going  to  leave  me  here, 
are  you?"  Thereupon,  I  turned  around,  and  lying  down 
on  my  stomach  was  able  to  reach  his  hand  and  help  him 
out.  By  this  time  the  others  were  out  of  sight  in  the 
brush,  leaving  the  two  of  us  the  only  target  for  the  ad- 
vancing enemy.  We  were  not  slow,  however,  in  following 
our  comrades  as  they  scurried  through  the  brush,  the 
Johnnies  yelling  and  shooting  as  we  ran. 

Our  limited  supply  of  ammunition  now  being  exhausted 
and  the  last  round  for  the  battery  already  in  the  guns, 
with  an  enemy  superior  in  numbers,  both  in  front  and 
rear, 

STOKEMAN  DETERMINED  TO  SURRENDER. 

This,  however,  was  opposed  by  his  officers,  as  before, 
who  still  advocated  retreating  to  the  south  and  east.  By 
this  move  it  was  believed  there  would  be  found  little 
trouble  in  reaching  our  lines  somewhere  on  the  coast  of 
Florida.  Indeed  this  plan  was  presented  to  Stoneman  as 
a  feasible  one  before  starting  on  the  raid,  but  the  propo- 
sition was  disregarded.  Before  the  flag  of  truce  was  sent 
up,  however,  he  gave  permission  to  any  officers  who  de- 
sired to  undertake  an  escape  by  cutting  their  way  out  to 
do  so — he  proposing  to  hold  the  enemy  in  check  with  one 
regiment  consisting  of  about  300  men,  to  cover  the  re- 
treat; and  with  this  remnant  Stoneman  finally  surren- 


2i6  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

dered.  The  Kentucky  brigade  was  successful  in  getting 
away,  and  reached  the  Federal  lines  almost  intact.  Others 
struck  out  independently  to  the  east  and  north  in  small 
detachments,  all  keeping  the  same  general  direction,  and 
having  the  same  object  in  view.  I  started  with  sixteen 
men  of  Company  F.  We  had  now  been  four  days  and 
nights  in  the  saddle.  The  ammunition  was  expended,  and 
both  men  and  horses  were  worn  down  to  the  last  extrem- 
ity. The  enemy,  who  by  easy  stages  had  followed  our 
track  on  the  advance  to  Macon,  were  in  fine  form  and 
fully  prepared  to  receive  us  on  the  return  march.  Thus, 
being  fresh  and  well  mounted,  a  detachment  immediately 
started  out  in  the  full  hope  of  overtaking  and  destroying 
these  disorganized  bands.  By  nightfall  small  parties  of 
the  retreating  men,  taking  the  same  road  to  the  number 
of  about  three  hundred,  came  together.  Colonel  Horace 
Capron,  of  the  14th  Illinois,  being  the  ranking  officer  took 
command,  and  a  desperate  effort  was  now  made  to 

BEACH  THE  FEDERAL  LINES. 

Difficulty  was  experienced  in  finding  our  way,  there 
being  few  men  left  in  the  country,  either  black  or  white 
(excepting  very  old  ones),  and  colored  women  were,  our 
only  dependence  for  guides.  This  service  was  willingly 
accepted,  however,  and  having  no  horses  for  them  to 
ride  they  traveled  on  foot,  keeping  up  with  the  mounted 
men  for  miles  upon  a  stretch,  guiding  them  to  safe  cross- 
ings on  unfrequented  roads  or  bridle  paths,  where  the 
enemy  would  be  least  likely  to  follow.  All  bridges  and 
public  property  found  on  the  line  of  retreat  were  burned 
in  passing. 

At  a  rugged  crossing  in  a  deep  forest  where  all  were 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  217 

compelled  to  dismount  and  lead,  two  young  colored 
women  with  red  turbaned  handkerchiefs  around  their 
heads  and  carrying  torches  (our  guides  for  a  long  dis- 
tance) stood  on  the  banks  of  the  stream  and  lighted  the 
command  across.  The  varying  and  uncertain  glare  of  the 
burning  pine  knots  cast  weird  shadows  into  the  waters 
below,  and  over  men  and  horses  as  they  plunged  down  the 
banks;  while  the  forest,  lighted  up  but  a  few  yards  over- 
head and  beyond,  soon  shaded  off  into  impenetrable  dark- 
ness. There  was  just  enough  light  to  reveal  the  desperate 
earnestness  depicted  on  the  faces  of  these  slave  girls  (with 
flashing  eyes  darker  than  the  night  itself)  who  had  entered 
upon  this  task  that  might  prove  death  or  torture  to  them. 
The  whole  picture  presented  was  like  that  of  some  vast 
subterranean  cavern,  where  the  goblins  were  on  the 
march. 

It  was  soon  found  quite  impossible  to  keep  the  men 
mounted,  as  many  horses  gave  out  entirely,  while  others 
whose  shoes  had  been  cast  or  worn  became  footsore  and 
unable  to  move.  To  favor  these  every  possible  means  was 
resorted  to.  In  an  effort  to  lighten  their  burdens  many 
threw  away  blankets  and  ponchos,  and  others  whose  am- 
munition was  exhausted,  broke  their  carbines  in  two  at 
the  breech  so  they  could  no  longer  be  of  use  to  the  enemy. 
To  insure  their  complete  destruction  the  pieces  were 
thrown  in  opposite  directions  into  the  brush  or  mud  holes 
on  either  side. 

There  were  no  fresh  animals  to  be  found,  except  now 
and  then  a  mule,  whose  advancing  years  rendered  him 
quite  worthless  for  our  purposes.  Even  these  were  cached 
away  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  it  difficult  to  find  them. 
But  occasionally,  as  if  by  the  irony  of  Fate,  a  loud 
"Ma-ha —  Ma-ha —  M-a-ha"  would  reveal  the  presence  of 


218  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

a  long-eared  patriarch  in  some  cellar  or  basement  of  a 
country  residence,  from  which  he  would  soon  be  taken 
out  to  enter  upon  a  service  that,  the  deliberate  move- 
ments and  calm  dignity  with  which  old  age  had  clothed 
his  venerable  form,  seemed  ill  suited. 

The  second  night  out  (August  2d)  both  men  and  ani- 
mals had  about  reached  the  limit  of  endurance,  and  it  was 
found  to  be  impossible,  except  by  the  most  strenuous  effort, 
to  keep  either  awake.  With  both  hands  locked  over  the 
horns  of  their  saddles,  the  men  would  fall  asleep,  when 
their  horses,  taking  advantage  of  the  situation,  turned  out 
by  the  roadside  and  stopped.  In  this  manner  the  command 
was  often  strung  out  a  distance  of  two  or  three  miles.  So 
about  2  o'clock  on  the  morning  of  the  3d  it  was  deter- 
mined to  lie  down  for  a  little  rest.  Accordingly,  pickets 
were  placed  out.  But  as  soon  as  the  men  struck  the  ground 
all  (including  the  pickets)  were  wrapped  in  profound 
slumber. 

I  lay  down  that  night  with  sixteen  of  my  men  around 
me,  but  never  saw  but  one  again  until  after  the  close  of 
the  war,  while  others,  alas!  who  laid  their  bones  in  the 
sunny  South  I  have  never  seen. 

By  this  time  quite  a  band  of  colored  people — old  men, 
women  and  children — had  fallen  in,  determined  to  flee 
the  country  with  us.  But,  fearing  an  attack  and  not  wish- 
ing to  be  embarrassed  by  these  non-combatants  within  the 
lines,  the  negroes  were  compelled  to  go  to  the  rear. 

We  lay  down  by " the  side  of  the  road,  each  man  holding 
his  horse  ready  to  mount  on  the  instant.  The  night  was 
very  warm,  and  from  long  continuance  in  the  saddle  many 
of  the  men  had  swollen  feet,  and  for  greater  comfort  re- 
moved their  boots,  while  others  took  off  their  coats  and 
used  them  for  pillows. 

V 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  219 

How  long  we  had  lain  there  is  uncertain,  but  just  at 
break  of  day  I  was  suddenly  awakened  by  Sergeant  Miles 
Horn,  who,  while  lifting  and  shaking  me,  cried  out :  "Get 
up  quick,  Cap,  for  God's  sake,  they  are  right  onto  us." 

The  enemy,  coming  up  in  the  rear,  after  capturing  our 
sleeping  pickets,  next  encountered,  just  outside  the  lines, 
the  negroes  lying  by  the  road,  who  ran  shouting  through 
the  camp,  throwing  the  men  into  confusion  that  finally 
culminated  in  a  panic.  This  was  given  greater  impetus 
and  effect  by  the  enemy,  who  by  this  time  were  "onto  us" 
sure  enough,  yelling  like  demons  and  firing  at  the  men 
who  refused  to  surrender. 

Springing  to  my  feet,  my  horse  still  standing  over  me, 
the  report  and  flash  of  two  or  three  shots  near  by,  coupled 
with  the  shouts  of  the  enemy,  enabled  me  to  take  in  the 
situation  in  a  moment.  Probably  no  less  alarmed  than 
others,  calling  my  Sergeant  by  a  familiar  title  given  him 
by  his  comrades,  I  said :  "Laddie,  let's  mount  and  get  out 
of  this,"  and,  to  use  an  awkward  phrase,  we  "got."  We 
soon  became  separated  and  the  poor  fellow  was  captured 
and  carried  to  Andersonville,  and  I  did  not  see  him  again 
until  called  upon  to  attend  his  funeral  soon  after  the  close 
of  the  war. 

An  effort  was  made  by  Major  Buck,  of  the  Eighth,  to 
rally  the  men  and  form  a  defensive  line  in  the  edge  of 
the  timber  near  by,  but  this  was  found  to  be  impracticable, 
as  many  were  without  ammunition  or  guns,  and  at  the 
first  volley  from  the  enemy  the  partially  formed  rank  dis- 
solved and  the  rout  was  made  complete.  About  one  hun- 
dred men  succeeded  in  mounting  and  getting  away  in  the 
direction  of  Athens,  located  about  fifteen  miles  to  the  north. 
The  road  ran  through  a  narrow  lane  a  distance  of  two  or 
three  miles  to  the  crossing  of 


220  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

THE  MULBEKRY  RIVER. 

The  rush  of  so  many  horses  across  the  bridge  over  this 
stream  proved  too  much  for  its  decaying  timbers  and  the 
whole  structure  gave  way,  precipitating  both  men  and 
horses  into  the  water  below.  The  horses  in  the  rear,  excited 
by  the  chase,  continued  to  rear  and  plunge,  and  those 
nearest  the  bank  were  thus  crowded  onto  others  already 
floundering  in  the  muddy  bottom.  What  added  to  the 
embarrassment  under  which  we  were  now  laboring  was  the 
approach  of  the  enemy,  coming  down  the  lane  in  hot  pur- 
suit, yelling  and  firing  as  they  advanced. 

A  staked-and-ridered  fence  on  each  side  of  the  road  made 
it  impossible  for  the  mounted  men  to  escape  by  either 
flank,  and  the  enemy,  riding  boldly  up,  captured  many 
while  sitting  in  their  saddles.  An  officer  with  a  drawn 
saber  got  near  enough  to  me  to  demand  my  surrender. 
But  two  or  three  horses  with  empty  saddles  crowded  in 
and  pushed  me  beyond  the  reach  of  his  weapon.  For 
further  security,  and  to  keep  out  of  range  of  the  shots 
that  were  passing  over,  I  placed  my  arms  around  the  neck 
of  my  horse,  and,  swinging  off,  continued  to  cling  to  him 
for  a  time,  fearing  otherwise  to  be  trampled  under  foot. 
At  this  time  the  men  began  to  dismount  and  crawl  through 
the  fence,  seeking  cover  in  the  brush  along  the  river  bank. 
Seeing  this,  I  concluded  to  follow. 

And  now  to  abandon  to  his  fate  the  faithful  little  animal 
that  had  carried  me  hundreds  of  miles  in  and  out  of  danger, 
with  never-faltering  zeal  and  promptness,  where  many  of 
his  kind  gave  out  and  fell  by  the  way,  was  contemplated 
with  regret  and  appealed  to  my  sense  of  gratitude  in  such 
a  manner  as  to  add  doubly  to  the  distress  at  parting.  And 
even  now,  had  he  been  able  to  scale  the  fence,  or  had  there 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  221 

been  a  bridge  across  the  Mulberry,  he  would  again  have 
proved  his  mettle  and  carried  me  to  safety  (without  losing 
his  tail),  as  did  the  famous  mare  of  Tam-0'Shanter  in 
carrying  him  away  from  the  witches  and  across  the  Doon. 
With  arms  still  around  his  neck,  giving  my  horse  a  fare- 
well hug  I  thought  he  would  understand  and  appreciate,  I 
dropped  to  the  ground  and  soon  made  my  way  to  the  fence 
and  into  the  brush. 

On  rising  to  an  upright  posture  and  starting  to  run  I 
seemed  to  have  but  little  control  of  my  lower  limbs,  which 
had  become  greatly  swollen  and  hung  from  my  body  like 
bags  of  sand.  Many  now  took  to  the  brush,  and,  seeing 
this,  the  enemy  (after  throwing  down  the  fence)  rode  out 
into  the  open  field  just  above,  and  wherever  the  brush  was 
heard  to  crack  they  directed  their  shots,  upon  which  one 
after  another  of  our  men  came  out  and  surrendered. 

Making  my  way  on  hands  and  knees  a  distance  of  100 
yards  or  more,  I  crawled  under  a  thicket  by  the  side  of  a 
large  log,  and  there  awaited  developments.  One  of  our 
soldiers  (a  mere  boy  of  sixteen)  secreted  himself  near  by. 
In  the  course  of  the  day  the  people  in  that  "neck  of  the 
woods"  seemed  to  have  turned  out  en  masse.  While  lying 
there  we  had  the  pleasure  of  listening  to  their  shouts, 
mingled  with  the  yelping  of  dogs,  as  they  scoured  the 
country  in  search  of  the  fugitives.  At  times  they  came 
so  near  we  could  distinguish  both  male  and  female  voices 
and  understand  what  was  said. 

The  little  soldier  near  me,  however,  soon  fell  into  a 
blissful  sleep,  but  his  snoring  was  so  vigorous  I  greatly 
feared  it  would  draw  the  enemy's  attention,  if  not  their 
fire.  And  to  reduce  the  danger  on  this  score  to  a  min- 
imum I  pelted  him  with  little  chunks.  But  soon  becoming 
accustomed  to  this  source  of  annoyance,  the  more  I  pelted 


222 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


the  louder  he  seemed  to  snore.  A  long  stick  was  then 
brought  into  use,  with  which  I  gored  his  ribs.  This  treat- 
ment caused  the  young  sleeper  to  "lie  over" — a  proceeding 
that  gave  us  both,  for  the  time  being,  a  much-needed  rest. 

While  lying  there  meditating  upon  the  past  and  the 
probabilities  of  the  future  (and  warned  by  other  experi- 
ences) I  took  the  precaution  to  secrete  my  watch  chain 
and  money  under  the  lining  of  my  jacket,  the  watch  itself 
being  too  large  to  hide  successfully  anywhere. 

The  shades  of  night  had  settled  down,  when  all  the 
unwelcome  sounds  of  the  day  seemed  to  have  died  out  with 
the  setting  sun,  and  I  now  resolved  to  leave  the  place  of 
concealment,  and,  passing  to  the  opposite  side  of  the  river, 
make  my  way  to  some  friendly  negro  cabin  (having  learned 
from  former  experience  the  fidelity  of  that  race  to  the 
Yankee  soldier),  and  eventually  reach  the  Federal  lines  in 
safety. 

Accordingly,  at  dusk  I  crawled  out,  thinking  to  leave 
my  young  comrade  asleep,  as  we  could  be  of  no  assistance 
to  each  other,  and  it  had  already  been  proved  to  my  satis- 
faction in  such  an  emergency  one  man  alone  can  make 
better  headway  than  any  greater  number.  But  I  had  no 
sooner  straightened  up  than  my  little  friend  stood  by,  wide 
awake  as  an  owl  at  midnight.  It  was  evident  he  had  no 
idea  of  being  "left."  I  told  him  then  that  he  must  obey 
my  orders  and  never  speak  above  a  whisper,  walk  stealthily 
and  move  only  when  he  saw  me  move.  To  this  he  agreed, 
and  together  we  started  on  our  pilgrimage. 

In  penetrating  the  thickets  and  crossing  on  flood  wood 
we  made  slow  progress,  and  when  the  uplands  were  reached 
on  the  north  side  of  the  river  daylight  appeared.  Soon 
coming  to  a  road,  we  moved  very  cautiously,  fearing  to 
encounter  a  picket,  and,  on  listening  with  one  ear  close 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  223 

to  the  ground,  I  heard  a  sound  like  the  stamping  of  a 
horse,  and  presently  heard  distinctly  a  man  cough  or  clear 
his  throat. 

We  arose  to  retrace  our  steps,  but  in  doing  so  were  over- 
heard, and  the  challenge,  "Halt !  Who  goes  there  ?"  rang 
out  upon  the  still  air  of  the  early  morning.  As  we  did 
not  heed  the  summons,  but  continued  to  run  as  best  we 
could,  the  challenge  was  repeated,  and  immediately  fol- 
lowed by  a  shot.  By  this  time  we  had  gained  the  cover  of 
the  brush,  and  thence  made  our  way  again  to  the  bottom- 
lands. Coming  to  a  large  log  that  had  fallen  down  the 
embankment,  I  climbed  on  top  of  it  and  sprang  off  as  far 
as  possible  into  the  thicket  below,  there  sinking  to  the 
ground,  so  exhausted  and  worn  at  the  time  I  could  almost 
have  consented  to  remain  there  forever.  No  food  of  any 
kind  had  passed  my  lips  for  forty-eight  hours.  It  was  now 
the  morning  of  August  4th,  and  the  sleep  obtained  since 
July  27th,  when  we  started  on  the  raid,  would  not  average 
more  than  two  hours  in  each  twenty-four.  But  with  the 
experience  already  gained  I  was  willing  to  run  any  risk 
of  life  or  limb  rather  than  be  held 

AGAIN  A  PRISONER. 

My  partner  secreted  himself  about  thirty  feet  distant, 
and  we  laid  there  all  that  day,  while  the  country  around 
was  again  being  scoured  for  the  escaping  raiders.  Dogs 
came  yelping  uncomfortably  near,  and  again  the  unwel- 
come sounds  died  away  in  the  distance.  About  5  o'clock 
that  afternoon  a  squad  of  Confederates  coming  up  through 
the  bottoms  came  upon  my  comrade  and  carried  him  away. 
Upon  this  I  felt  a  sense  of  relief,  believing  he  would  be 
better  off  as  a  prisoner. 


224 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


Just  at  sundown  I  heard  the  voice  of  a  negro,  who,  walk- 
ing along  the  bank  above,  was  apparently  talking  to  him- 
self. 

"Anybody  in  heah,  ye's  needn't  be  afeard  uv  me.  I 
wodn't  hurt  nobody/'  he  said;  and  soon  I  could  hear  him 
clambering  upon  the  log  that  had  guided  me  down  the 
bank.  He  parted  the  brush,  and,  walking  along,  con- 
tinued: "Been  somebody  in  heah,  I  reckon.  Any  fellah 
et  fell  ovah  dis  heah  log  in  de  dark  broak  his  neck  shue." 

At  this  time  he  came  into  view — an  old  man,  to  whom 
there  seemed  no  doubt  I  could  make  friendly  overtures  in 
safety,  and  if  he  discovered  me  I  would  try  the  art  of 
diplomacy.  But  if  not  my  plan  was  to  remain  quiet,  for 
I  could  now  hear  other  voices  not  far  away.  Presently 
his  eyes  rested  squarely  upon  me,  and  doubtless  believing 
me  dead — I  was  lying  flat  on  my  back — he  ran  back  over 
the  log,  and  in  a  few  moments  a  squad  of  Confederate 
soldiers  appeared  upon  the  scene,  with  the  old  man  for  a 
guide.  I  watched  him  closely  through  my  half-closed  eyes, 
and  thought  a  look  of  disappointment  came  over  his  counte- 
nance when  he  found  I  was  alive,  realizing,  as  he  must 
have  done,  that  through  haste  and  fright  he  had  been  the 
means  of  giving  me  up  to  the  enemy. 

Beaching  the  open  field  above,  the  soldiers  laid  me  on 
the  ground  for  a  consultation,  or  an  autopsy,  as  the  case 
might  seem  to  demand.  Certainly  I  was  as  near  dead  as 
alive.  Their  expressions  were  kindly,  and,  thinking  myself 
in  good  hands,  I  soon  opened  my  eyes  inquiringly,  when 
they  assured  me  I  was  in  friendly  keeping  and  asked  me 
to  walk  to  a  farmhouse  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  away. 
With  a  man  at  each  arm  to  assist,  I  reached  the  place 
designated  with  little  difficulty. 

Arriving  at  the  house  we  found  it  already  turned  into 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  225 

a  hospital  and  the  floor  and  many  available  places  in  the 
surrounding  yard  occupied  by  sick  and  wounded  men  be- 
longing to  our  command.  The  women  of  the  place,  both 
black  and  white,  were  rendering  every  assistance  in  their 
power.  Covered  with  mud  from  head  to  foot,  and  hair 
and  beard  matted,  disgust  was  added  to  discomfiture  on 
reflecting  upon  my  appearance  and,  calling  for  a  tub  of 
warm  water,  which  was  soon  produced,  I  proceeded  to 
relieve  myself  of  the  outside  strata  of  dirt.  This  treatment 
was  followed  by  a  bowl  of  hot  chicken  broth  for  the  inner 
man,  furnished  by  one  of  the  negro  women.  From  all  this 
kindness  my  strength  and  spirits  rapidly  returned. 

I  then  asked  the  privilege  of  visiting  the  wounded,  and 
among  the  first  to  greet  me  was  my  little  partner,  prostrate 
from  nervous  exhaustion.  I  got  an  opportunity  to  tell  him 
(aside)  the  Confederates  would  leave  there  the  next  morn- 
ing, as  I  had  overheard  them  say,  and  that  if  he  held  out 
"sick"  until  then  they  would  probably  leave  him,  and  an 
opportunity  would  thus  be  open  for  his  escape. 

On  going  a  little  farther  in  the  same  room  I  found 
Eufus  Waldron,  a  member  of  my  own  regiment,  who  had 
been  shot  through  the  right  breast  from  front  to  back. 
Believing  his  recovery  impossible,  I  secured  the  name  and 
address  of  the  people  who  were  extending  this  generous 
hospitality,  having  in  view,  should  I  survive  the  fortunes 
of  war,  the  possibility  of  some  time  informing  Waldron's 
people  where  he  was  buried.  But  he  saved  his  people  and 
myself  any  trouble  on  that  score,  for  when  next  seen  he 
was  returning  to  his  regiment  from  his  home  in  Michigan, 
where  he  had  been  on  sick  leave,  as  fine  looking  a  soldier 
as  ever  wore  the  uniform. 

But  there  was  another  motive  in  securing  this  informa- 
tion which  will  soon  appear.  There  were  two  old  gentle- 


226  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

men  who  seemed  to  be  proprietors  of  the  premises,  and 
their  names  and  address — Levi  Watts  and  W.  B.  Kuther- 
ford,  Jefferson  County,  Georgia — I  wrote  on  the  flyleaf 
of  a  little  Testament,  which  was  a  gift  prized  by  me 
highly,  and  of  which  more  anon. 

The  next  day  all  the  prisoners  collected  at  this  point 
able  to  be  moved  were  marched  to  Athens,  about  ten  miles 
distant.  Captain  Brackenridge,  of  a  Kentucky  regiment, 
was  the  officer  in  command  of  the  guards  and  exercised 
especial  jurisdiction  over  me  on  the  march.  After  supply- 
ing me  with  a  horse  to  ride  (one  branded  "U.  S."  and 
taken  from  some  of  our  men  the  day  before)  he  very 
kindly  volunteered  an  offer  to  the  effect  that  if  I  would 
give  my  word  of  honor  not  to  try  to  escape  while  under 
his  charge  I  should  fare  on  the  way  as  well  as  he,  and  be 
subjected  to  no  other  surveillance.  I  readily  assented  to 
this  offer,  and  one  might  suppose,  only  for  the  difference 
in  our  uniforms,  we  were  comrades  belonging  to  the  same 
command  passing  through  the  country  on  a  pleasure 
junket.  Together  we  called  at  farmhouses  by  the  wayside, 
where  buttermilk  and  cornbread  were  abundant,  and  so 
fared  sumptuously  to  the  end  of  the  route. 

It  was  with  a  feeling  of  regret  that  I  separated  from 
Captain  Brackenridge  at  Athens,  where  the  prisoners 
were  turned  over  to  the  tender  mercies  of  the  Home  Guards 
and  consigned  to  the  county  jail.  Up  to  this  time  not 
the  slightest  indignity  had  been  offered  by  any  of  my 
captors,  but  on  the  contrary,  the  kindest  treatment  as  may 
be  supposed.  We  remained  in  the  quarters  at  Athens 
about  a  week,  being  treated  as  common  felons,  on  very 
scant  rations  which  we  were  compelled  to  share  with  negro 
prisoners  of  the  most  degraded  type.  From  Athens  all 
were  shipped  by  rail  to 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  227 

MACOX  AXD  ANDERSOXVILLE. 

So,  instead  of  releasing  the  thirty-odd  thousand 
prisoners  confined  in  those  places,  as  we  started  out  in 
high  hopes  to  do,  Stoneman's  cavalry,  including  the  leader 
himself,  swelled  the  numbers  in  the  already  overcrowded 
pens,  to  the  extent  of  about  900  men.  Going  by  rail  to 
Macon  we  were  privileged  to  ride  over  two  miles  of 
railroad  track  we  had  been  instrumental  in  destroying 
some  ten  or  fifteen  days  before.  But  I  was  far  from  boast- 
ing of  my  work,  as  the  Confederate  authorities  were  mak- 
ing vigorous  search  and  inquiry  for  any  officers  among 
the  prisoners  whom  they  might  hold  responsible  for  acts 
of  vandalism  said  to  have  been  committed  at  that  time. 

This  sort  of  inquisition  I  did  not  care  to  face,  though 
for  my  own  part  I  had  at  all  times  used  every  possible 
endeavor  to  protect  citizens  in  their  persons  and  property; 
and  to  this  end  often  stood  guard  with  drawn  saber  over 
houses  the  men  were  threatening  to  plunder. 

Arriving  at  Macon,  after  recording  our  names,  rank  and 
regiment  a  vigorous  search  of  every  man  was  made  for 
valuables,  with  the  expectation  doubtless  of  finding  some 
of  the  plunder  alleged  to  have  been  taken  as  stated  above. 
While  this  was  going  on  the  prisoners  were  held  in  the 
shade  of  a  structure  raised  two  or  three  feet  from  the 
ground,  resting  on  abutments  or  piles.  The  ground 
under  and  around  this  building  was  very  sandy  and  while 
waiting  to  be  searched  (otherwise  apprehending  serious 
consequences)  the  men  buried  in  the  sand  any  valuables 
they  may  have  secured.  Recalling  my  brother's  last  words 
to  me  on  our  parting  in  front  of  Atlanta  the  evening 
before  starting  on  the  raid:  "Look  out,  my  boy,  or  you 
will  lose  that  watch  again,"  I  took  the  watch  from  my 


228  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

pocket  and  placed  it  under  the  lining  of  my  hat,  while  the 
money,  chain  and  gold  ring  were  secreted  as  before  de- 
scribed. 

On  walking  up  to  be  questioned  and  searched,  I  took 
off  my  hat,  as  every  gentleman  is  supposed  to  do  on  ap- 
proaching the  presence  of  a  dignified  and  important  func- 
tionary, respectfully  holding  it  in  my  hand  while  the  in- 
quisition was  going  on.  In  this  search  the  hat  was  entirely 
overlooked  and  this  dissembling  politeness  on  my  part  no 
doubt  saved  the  watch  for  purposes  to  me  much  more 
satisfactory  than  being  compelled  to  give  it  up  a  second 
time  at  the  point  of  a  bayonet. 

They  seemed  disappointed  at  finding  no  valuables  save 
the  little  Testament  mentioned  in  another  chapter,  and 
while  examining  this  I  explained  that  it  was  a  gift  to  me, 
accompanied  with  the  best  wishes  of  a  Christian  young 
lady  residing  at  Nicholasville,  Kentucky;  and  though  an 
ardent  Secessionist,  she  was  nevertheless  a  friend  of  mine, 
and  I  hoped  to  retain  this  mark  of  her  esteem.  Upon  this 
the  inquisitor  closed  the  book  and  handed  it  back  to  me 
with  the  remark  that  he  hoped  I  would  read  it  and  repent 
of  having  undertaken  without  just  provocation  to  sub- 
jugate the  Southern  people,  which  "never  could  be  done." 

The  officers  of  our  party  were  retained  in  Macon  and 
lodged  in  Camp  Oglethorpe,  another  pen  or  stockade  made 
of  timbers  driven  into  the  ground;  while  the  enlisted  men 
were  sent  on  to  Andersonville.  On  entering  the  prison  I 
was  greeted  by  a  half  dozen  or  more 

OLD   ACQUAINTANCES  FEOM  LIBBY. 

All  the  prisoners  in  Richmond  at  this  time  had  been 
sent  further  south,  to  prevent  their  falling  into  the  hands 
of  our  forces  then  threatening  the  capture  of  the  rebel 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  229 

capital.  The  first  to  extend  a  welcome  was  Lieutenant 
Meade,  whose  boots  I  had  appropriated,  leaving  in  their 
place  my  old  shoes  furnished  hy  a  rebel  soldier  in  East 
Tennessee  at  the  time  of  my  first  capture;  the  boots  in 
question  being  unequal  to  the  service  required  of  them  in 
making  the  escape.  Meade's  first  salutation  was:  "Hello, 
there,  Wells.  Where  are  my  boots?" 

The  next  greeting  was  from  Captain  Thomas  H.  McKee, 
of  the  First  West  Virginia,  whose  hat  was  missing  at  the 
same  time  as  the  boots,  and  for  which  I  was  called  upon 
to  account.  But  as  before  explained,  the  head  needed  a 
covering  as  well  as  the  feet;  and  inasmuch  as  my  present 
difficulty  was  brought  about  in  an  effort  to  release  these 
good  comrades,  we  had  little  trouble  in  arriving  at  a 
friendly  settlement,  on  the  broad  grounds  of  "a  military 
necessity." 

I  then  inquired  for  Lieutenant  P.  A.  White,  who  went 
through  the  tunnel  just  ahead  of  me,  agreeing  to  wait  at 
the  shed  until  I  could  join  him.  From  this  point  we  were 
to  make  the  escape  together,  as  before  stated;  but  after 
passing  through  the  tunnel  and  reaching  the  shed,  I  found 
that  White  had  already  gone.  Hearing  that  he  had  been 
recaptured  and  was  now  among  the  prisoners  in  Macon, 
my  greatest  desire  was  to  look  him  up. 

There  was  a  low  wooden  building  in  the  center  of  the 
stockade,  used  as  a  hospital,  to  which  my  attention  was 
directed,  and  upon  entering  this  I  found  White  lying  on 
a  cot.  His  skin,  turned  black,  was  drawn  tightly  over  his 
bones  and  he  could  not  speak  above  a  whisper.  Recogniz- 
ing me,  he  recalled  the  circumstances  under  which  we  had 
separated  in  Libby,  and  said  at  once:  "If  I  had  waited 
for  you  under  the  carriage  shed  I  would  not  be  here 
now;"  conveying  the  impression  that  had  we  gone  out 


230  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

together  both  would  have  escaped  as  I  did.  In  answer 
I  said:  "No,  had  we  gone  together  both  might  have  been 
recaptured,  and  in  that  case  I  would  not  be  in  a  condition 
to  encourage  or  aid  you  in  any  way."  He  then  said:  "Oh, 
if  I  had  a  little  money  with  which  to  send  out  and  buy 
something  to  eat  I  believe  I  could  get  well." 

There  was  a  sutler's  tent  just  outside  the  gate,  to  which 
those  having  money  could  send  and  buy  soft  bread,  sweet 
potatoes,  cornmeal  and  similar  delicacies  (?).  After  shar- 
ing with  White  from  my  little  savings  in  greenbacks  smug- 
gled through  the  lines,  I  was  soon  compelled  to  bid  him 
good-bye,  as  all  able  to  be  removed  were  sent  to  the 
Workhouse  Prison,  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  and  there 
placed  under  fire  of 

THE  FEDEEAL  BATTERIES. 

The  Workhouse  Prison,  enclosed  with  a  high  wall  like 
a  penitentiary,  with  doors  and  windows  heavily  barred, 
was  used  before  the  war  as  a  slave  mart.  In  the  center  of 
the  back  yard  was  a  broad  platform  about  three  feet  in 
height  with  steps  leading  up,  upon  which  the  slaves  were 
exposed  for  public  or  private  sale.  This  was  the  far 
famed  "Auction  Block,"  the  name  upon  which  the  aboli- 
tion agitators  of  the  North  had  been  so  fond  of  ringing  the 
changes.  Its  purposes  were  now  reversed.  The  former 
slave  was  already  virtually  free,  but  around  the  auction 
block,  where  formerly  he  had  been  bartered  and  sold,  were 
held  as  prisoners  of  war  some  hundreds  of  the  men  to 
whose  valor  he  owed  his  freedom. 

Around  this  historic  remnant  of  the  slave  regime  the 
Yankee  prisoners  assembled  every  day  to  cook  their  rice 
and  cornmeal.  A  flat  piece  of  cast  iron,  formerly  the  top 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  231 

of  a  stove,  was  utilized  as  a  bake  oven  and  frying  pan 
combined.  Elevated  a  little  from  the  ground,  and  resting 
on  bricks  at  each  corner,  this  improvised  oven  when  once 
heated  was  covered  with  "hoe  cakes,"  which  were  looked 
after  by  anxious  patrons  until  the  cakes  were  baked  and 
"turned"  to  a  finish.  A  large  iron  pot,  also  resting  on 
bricks,  served  as  a  receptacle  for  cooking  rice.  When  the 
meal  and  rice  were  thus  prepared  it  was  handed  out  upon 
improvised  plates,  often  made  from  old  tin  cans  ham- 
mered out  into  suitable  form;  and  the  fortunate  possessor 
of  a  dish  of  this  kind,  after  receiving  his  ration,  would 
retire  to  the  "block"  for  a  seat  and  a  table,  there  to  enjoy 
without  interruption  his  own  reflections  and  a  "frugal 
meal." 

The  prison  was  situated  near  the  edge  of  what  was 
known  as  the  "burnt  district"  of  the  city  of  Charleston, 
this  locality  being  about  the  limit  of  the  range  of  the 
Federal  guns  in  the  harbor,  which  were  mercilessly  trained 
on  Charleston  for  286  days  without  cessation.  During 
this  time  it  is  estimated  there  were  43,000  projectiles 
hurled,  resulting,  aside  from  destroying  nearly  half  of  the 
city,  in  319  casualties — 52  killed  and  267  wounded. 

The  prisoners  were  placed  in  this  dangerous  locality  for 
the  purpose  of  deterring  our  Government  from  further 
bombardment.  But  from  Charleston  the  first  shot  for  the 
destruction  of  the  Union  was  fired,  and  doubtless  there 
was  "method  in  the  madness"  that  prompted  the  sending 
of  these  deadly  missiles  into  that  hotbed  of  secession. 

It  is  remarkable  at  such  a  time,  when  events  are  chang- 
ing rapidly  and  the  worst  is  anticipated,  how  soon  one  can 
adapt  himself  to  the  surroundings,  no  matter  how  unnat- 
ural or  dangerous  they  may  be.  On  entering  the  Work- 
house we  were  not  long  in  ascertaining  the  fact  that  a 


232  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

large  shell  from  one  of  our  batteries  in  the  harbor  was 
being  hurled  against  the  city  every  twenty  minutes  with 
clocklike  regularity  by  day  and  night.  The  report  from 
this  gun  soon  became  a  familiar  sound,  and,  on  hearing 
it,  the  prisoners  had  time  to  run  across  the  floor  to  a 
window,  from  which  the  shot  could  be  seen  as  it  drew 
near  and  exploded.  At  night  its  course  through  the  air 
was  readily  traced  the  entire  distance  by  a  stream  of  fire 
from  the  burning  fuse.  From  the  upper  stories  of  the 
building,  or  by  stealing  out  on  the  roof,  as  was  sometimes 
done,  the  prisoners  would  sit  up  late  to  watch  the  progress 
of  this  singular  bombardment,  which  now  had  become  a 
source  of  amusement  and  diversion  rather  than  otherwise. 
The  shots  generally  fell  a  little  short  of  the  prison,  but 
sometimes  bursting  overhead,  their  fragments  came  un- 
comfortably near.  A  piece  about  ten  pounds  in  weight 
once  struck  the  building,  entering  the  roof  and  going  out 
through  the  brick  on  the  gable  end,  making  an  opening 
about  three  feet  across. 

Immediately  adjoining  the  Workhouse  was  another 
prison  called  the  "Jail  Yard,"  which,  like  the  Workhouse, 
was  filled  with  unfortunate  Yankee  soldiers.  From  the 
upper  windows  of  the  Workhouse  we  could  look  down  upon 
these  prisoners,  but  the  rules  prohibiting  any  communica- 
tion from  one  to  the  other  were  strictly  enforced. 

One  day  while  standing  a  little  back  from  an  upper 
window,  unobserved  by  the  guard  and  watching  my  neigh- 
bors below,  imagine  my  surprise  on  seeing  my  old  comrade, 

CAPTAIN  CHARLES  E.  GREBLE. 

Greble  had  been  my  "chum"  and  companion  in  Libby, 
and  together  we  were  to  have  made  the  escape.  We  had 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  233 

spent  six  months  there  together,  and  had  made  all  prepara- 
tions to  go  out  at  the  same  time  through  the  tunnel.  But 
on  the  night  the  exit  was  made  we  became  separated  in 
the  dark  and  I  undertook  the  journey  alone.  He  carried 
the  haversack  in  which  were  the  rations  saved  up  for  the 
occasion,  also  a  map  of  the  country  we  had  jointly  pre- 
pared, lining  out  the  rivers,  fords  and  crossings,  to  guide 
us  on  the  way.  When  once  out,  realizing  myself  alone 
and  contemplating  the  probabilities  of  the  venture,  my 
thoughts  turned  to  the  partner  who  had  been  left  behind. 
Fearless  as  he  was,  self-reliant  and  generous  to  a  fault,  I 
felt  as  though  the  better  half  of  me,  for  purposes  then 
under  way,  had  departed,  and  I  never  felt  the  loss  of  a 
comrade  so  much  before  nor  since. 

From  that  time  till  now  I  did  not  know  how  fate  had 
dealt  with  him,  but  it  transpired  that  some  time  after  the 
exit  he  also  went  through  the  tunnel,  and,  after  being  three 
or  four  days  in  the  swamps  and  lagoons  of  the  peninsula, 
was  recaptured  and  taken  back  to  Libby,  where  he  was 
confined  in  a  dungeon  for  thirty  days  on  a  meal  and  water 
diet.  About  the  time  of  his  release  from  the  dungeon  it 
appears  an  installment  of  boxes  containing  clothing  and 
delicacies  to  eat  came  from  the  North,  and  among  them 
a  second  box  for  myself,  and  when  the  list  of  claimants 
was  called  off  in  the  prison,  Greble  answered  to  my  name, 
drew  the  prize  box  and  enjoyed  the  good  things  it  con- 
tained. I  mourned  the  loss  of  this  box  after  reaching 
home,  and,  learning  of  its  having  been  sent  about  the  time 
of  the  escape,  and,  in  consequence,  believed  it  must  have 
fallen  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  but  now  was  more 
than  gratified  to  learn  that  my  friend  and  comrade  had, 
by  personating  me,  obtained  the  coveted  prize  and  enjoyed 
its  contents. 


234  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Soon  after  this  occurrence  all  the  prisoners  in  Libby 
were  removed  to  prisons  farther  South,  and  Greble,  still 
determined  on  escape,  cut  his  way  through  the  bottom  of 
the  car  while  in  transit  to  Salisbury,  and  after  traveling 
250  miles  in  the  mountains  of  the  Carolinas,  he  was  again 
recaptured,  and  finally  brought  up  in  the  "Jail  Yard"  at 
Charleston,  where  I  had  discovered  him. 

And  even  now,  on  account  of  the  rigid  discipline  of 
prison  life,  I  cannot  speak  to  him  or  approach  a  window 
near  enough  to  attract  his  attention.  But  at  last,  fixing 
my  gaze  steadily  upon  him,  he  looked  up  and  saw  me. 
The  surprise  and  gratification  at  this  incidental  meeting 
can  better  be  imagined  than  described,  and  the  anxiety  of 
both  to  talk  knew  no  bounds. 

Since  our  separation  in  Libby  I  had  returned  to  my 
home  in  Michigan,  and  while  there  visited  Greble's  family 
in  Battle  Creek,  consisting  of  a  wife  and  two  little  daugh- 
ters. They  listened  with  great  interest  to  the  story  of  the 
capture  and  the  escape,  and  how  Greble  and  I  had  become 
separated  in  the  prison;  but  farther  than  this,  what  fate 
had  befallen  him  none  of  us  could  tell.  Since  that  inter- 
view I  had  returned  to  my  regiment,  gone  through  one  of 
the  hardest  campaigns  of  the  war,  and  now,  in  the  hands 
of  the  enemy  a  second  time,  find  my  friend  in  Charleston, 
South  Carolina,  still  a  prisoner,  and,  much  as  there  is  in 
common  between  us  to  be  said,  and  standing  within  a  few 
feet  of  each  other  in  plain  sight,  we  dare  not  exchange  a 
word. 

During  the  brief  period  in  which  we  stood  there  I 
cautiously  approached  the  window,  and,  on  glancing  down- 
ward, saw  a  guard  who  just  at  that  moment  called  out  to 
Greble,  "Stop  looking  up  at  that  window.  Move  on." 

In  the  excitement  incident  to  our  unexpected  meeting 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


235 


he  took  no  notice  of  this  warning,  and  the  guard,  after 
repeating  the  command,  drew  his  gun  and  was  about  to 
fire.  I  then  shouted  (calling  Greble  by  his  first  name), 
"Charlie,  move  on;  that  guard  will  shoot  you!"  This 
little  episode  terminated  our  "visit." 

But  Greble's  ill  fortune  did  not  forsake  him  here.  He 
was  still  a  prisoner  in  Columbia,  South  Carolina,  at  the 
time  Sherman  with  his  army  entered  that  place  in  Febru- 
ary, 1865.  A  large  number  of  prisoners  were  confined 
there  at  the  time,  but  on  the  approach  of  the  Federals 
they  were  moved  to  other  places.  Greble,  taking  advan- 
tage of  this  movement,,  secreted  himself  in  a  loft,  and  in 
their  haste  to  get  away  he  was  overlooked  by  the  guards. 

The  town  and  the  prison  soon  after  the  arrival  of  the 
Union  troops  was  found  to  be  on  fire.  It  has  never  been 
definitely  determined  which  of  the  two  armies  was  respon- 
sible for  this,  but,  at  any  rate,  Greble,  in  hiding,  narrowly 
escaped  death  from  the  smoke  and  flames  of  the  burning 
building.  Escaping  from  this  danger,  he  ran  into  another 
almost  as  great.  The  Yankee  soldiers  mistook  him  for  a 
rebel  guard,  and  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet  he  was  com- 
pelled to  surrender  as  a  prisoner  of  war  to  those  who 
should  have  been  his  friends  and  liberators.  In  the  course 
of  time,  however,  his  identity  was  established,  and  he  was, 
of  course,  set  at  liberty.  He  finally  found  his  way  home, 
and  thence  to  the  regiment. 

Our  first  meeting  after  this  episode  at  Charleston  was 
in  the  spring  of  1865,  at  Brigade  Headquarters,  Pulaski, 
Tennessee,  at  which  time  I  learned  from  his  own  lips  the 
story  of  his  adventures  as  above  related.  We  were  both 
mustered  out  in  July  of  that  year,  and,  though  strong  and 
robust  as  Greble  seemed  to  be  at  that  time,  he  did  not 
survive  the  war  but  a  few  years. 


236  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Soon  after  this  occurrence  I  found  an  opportunity  to 
make  final  disposition  of  the  watch  that  has  been  so  often 
placed  in  jeopardy  in  the  progress  of  this  story,  together 
with  the  chain  and  gold. ring.  Disposing  of  these  for  a 
fabulous  sum  in  Confederate  money  (obtaining  twenty  for 
one  in  greenbacks),  I  was  able  to  dispense  little  charities 
among  my  friends  most  in  need  of  assistance.  There  was 
a  broker  outside  engaged  in  this  sort  of  traffic,  with  whom 
negotiations  for  the  sale  of  these  articles  were  made.  For 
a  time  I  was  literally  puffed  up  with  money,  but  after 
buying  a  few  watermelons  at  twenty  dollars  apiece  and 
sweet  potatoes  at  two  and  three  dollars  each,  my  purse 
collapsed  like  a  punctured  balloon.  But  the  disposing  of 
my  valuables  and  undertaking  to  share  the  proceeds  with 
my  fellow-prisoners  came  near  proving 

A  DEATH  WARRANT. 

I  now  have  to  recount  an  experience  in  my  varying  for- 
tunes since  the  time  of  enlistment  that  I  would  gladly 
pass  by.  But  since  at  this  remote  period  we  are  able  to 
discuss  these  matters  dispassionately,  it  is  perhaps  better, 
before  the  time  (soon  to  come)  when  there  will  be  no 
living  witness,  that  all  evidence  pertaining  to  prison  life 
be  sifted,  to  the  end  that  what  may  be  accepted  as  truthful 
history  may  come  out  of  it. 

Beginning  now  to  feel  the  effects  of  the  hardships 
already  endured,  and,  aggravated  by  the  inconsiderate  use 
of  the  good  things  obtained  of  the  sutler,  a  terrible  lassi- 
tude came  over  me,  and  without  further  warning  I  was 
stricken  down  with  a  disease  that  rendered  me  helpless 
within  two  hours  from  the  time  of  its  first  appearance, 
and  was  soon  after  carried  to  a  hospital  situated  on  the 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  237 

Cooper  River,  in  the  suburbs  of  Charleston.  For  three 
weeks  thereafter  I  took  little  note  of  what  went  on  around 
me.  But  one  thing  seemed  to  occupy  my  mind  during 
that  period,  and  that  was  the  ceaseless  echo  of  the  Federal 
gun  in  Charleston  Harbor,  and  the  screeching  shell  as  it 
approached  the  city  rang  constantly  in  my  ears,  and  in  my 
half-conscious  state  haunted  me  day  and  night.  In  imag- 
ination I  sometimes  traveled  with  the  shot  from  the  time 
it  left  the  gun  until  it  exploded  over  the  city  or  among 
my  comrades  in  the  Workhouse  prison,  where  I  would 
finally  land  as  one  of  its  many  fragments.  The  first  real 
evidence  of  improvement  in  the  condition  of  my  health 
came  about  fifteen  days  later.  Being  greatly  annoyed  by 
a  voice  in  the  farther  end  of  the  ward  where  confined,  I 
peevishly  inquired  of  a  nurse  if  he  could  not  stop  that 
loud  and  boisterous  talking. 

"Why,"  said  he,  "that  is  Dr.  Todd,  the  physician  in 
charge  of  the  hospital,"  whom  afterward  I  learned  was  a 
brother  of  Mrs.  Lincoln,  the  wife  of  our  President. 

The  greatest  difficulty  at  the  hospital  seemed  to  be  the 
lack  of  medicine  and  other  necessaries  for  the  sick  and 
disabled.  That  many  died  is  true,  but  it  should  be  borne 
in  mind  that  conditions  were  the  most  unfavorable.  The 
patients  came  there  in  the  last  extremity,  and  with  that 
terrible  longing  for  home  and  friends  that  sank  deep  into 
the  heart  of  every  prisoner,  making  it  almost  'a  miracle 
that  he  should  recover  at  all.  For  my  own  part,  while 
lying  there  helpless  and  seeing  the  dead  carried  out  daily, 
I  wondered  if  the  time  had  come  when  I,  too,  would  be 
called  upon  to  lay  my  bones  in  Dixie.  But  my  answer  to 
the  self-imposed  query,  coming  as  of  its  own  volition,  was 
invariably  "No !"  and  while  there  was  no  relief  in  sight, 
I  never  did  give  up! 


238  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

"The  miserable  have  no  other  medicine  but  only  hope." 
As  Sherman  had  at  this  time  taken  Atlanta,  thus  threat- 
ening the  recapture  of  the  prisoners  at  Macon  and  Ander- 
sonville,  they  were  all  removed  to  prisons  nearer  the  At- 
lantic seaboard.  All,  did  I  say  ?  No,  not  all.  That  state- 
ment should  be  qualified,  for  the  bones  of  over  13,000  were 
already  bleaching  at  Andersonville. 

More  than  30,000  prisoners  under  this  order  were  re- 
moved, and  probably  never  before  in  the  history  of  any 
war  was  so  large  a  percentage  of  men  held  as  prisoners 
reduced  to  such  a  state  of  misery  and  destitution  as  existed 
among  these  30,000  men.  Many  of  them  came  to  Charles- 
ton, and  were  there  crowded  into  hospitals  already  filled 
to  overflowing.  A  clean  suit  of  cotton  underwear  was  given 
each  patient  as  he  was  admitted  (this  simple  act  being  a 
source  of  great  relief  which  proved  the  stepping-stone  to 
the  recovery  of  some),  and  while  every  care  possible  was 
given  them,  when  the  terrible  straits  to  which  the  Con- 
federacy was  reduced  are  considered, 

THE  MORTALITY  WAS  APPALLING. 

The  discarded  garments  of  the  prisoners  were  thrown  in 
a  heap  in  the  center  of  a  court  back  of  the  hospital,  and 
it  is  no  exaggeration  to  say  that  in  the  heat  of  the  sun 
these  piles  of  infected  clothing  were  alive  and  reeking  with 
vermin. 

On  the  first  and  second  stories  were  verandas  or  gal- 
leries about  eight  feet  wide,  extending  around  the  build- 
ing; and  when  the  cots  in  the  regular  wards  were  filled 
the  overflow  was  placed  on  the  floors  of  these  verandas. 

The  dead  wagon  came  regularly  once  a  day  and  the  at- 
tendants, going  around  among  the  prostrate  forms  on  the 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


239 


floors  and  in  the  wards,  gathered  up  the  dead,  and  placing 
them  in  the  wagon  took  them  out  on  their  last  drive. 

Many  hecame  delirious,  and  their  only  talk  was  of  home 
and  mother,  wife  and  child.  Their  appeals  were  pitiable 
and  how  anyone  seriously  ill  could  recover  with  so  much 
misery  about  them  was  then  and  has  always  been  to  me 
a  mystery. 

The  Sisters  of  Charity  visited  the  hospital  twice  a  week; 
and  if  there  is  an  ex-prisoner  alive  to-day  who  went 
through  this  experience  and  has  not  discarded  any  prej- 
udice he  may  before  have  entertained  against  that  numer- 
ous class  of  self-sacrificing  souls  it  is  to  be  regretted  he, 
too,  did  not  get  a  ride  in  the  wagon  above  described. 

These  things  were  observed  during  my  convalescence, 
when  an  opportunity  was  presented  to  see  and  know  what 
was  taking  place.  There  being  no  prospect  as  yet  for  the 
war  coming  to  a  close,  the  only  hope  a  prisoner  at  this 
time  had  to  look  forward  to  was 

EXCHANGE  OR  DEATH. 

One  day,  noticing  s  new  patient  being  brought  in,  my 
astonishment  was  great  on  recognizing  my  friend  White, 
with  whom  we  last  parted  in  Macon.  He  was  placed  on  a 
cot  near  by,  in  a  partially  reclining  posture,  but  was 
delirious,  and  evidently  in  the  last  stage  of  his  earthly 
career.  Holding  a  piece  of  green  apple  in  his  hand 
(probably  given  him  somewhere  on  the  way  from  Macon) 
he  crowded  it  into  his  mouth  and  making  a  spasmodic  ef- 
fort to  swallow,  finally  threw  it  out,  and  after  gasping  two 
or  three  times,  sank  back  and  died. 

The  authorities  in  Charleston  came  to  the  prisoners 
with  the  proposition  to  draw  up  a  letter  directed  to  Mr. 


240  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Lincoln  himself,  setting  forth  the  apparent  inability  of 
the  Confederate  Government  to  provide  the  common 
necessaries  for  so  great  a  number  of  prisoners,  and  that  an 
early  exchange,  man  for  man,  which  the  Confederates 
were  willing  to  do,  would  be  the  means  of  saving  thou- 
sands of  lives  that  otherwise  must  be  sacrificed.  Such  a 
petition  was  written,  largely  signed  by  the  prisoners,  many 
of  them  high  in  rank — General  Stoneman's  name  being 
among  the  signatures — and  turned  over  to  the  hospital 
officials;  but  it  never  again  came  to  the  attention  of  the 
public.  That  this  petition  was  forwarded  there  is  no  ques- 
tion of  doubt;  but  whether  it  ever  reached  Mr.  Lincoln's 
hands  is  still  a  debatable  question.  But  this  we  know: 
no  general  exchange  of  prisoners  took  place,  while  the 
work  of  death  by  this  refined  process  went  steadily  on, 
until  peace  was  declared;  and  thousands  of  the  headstones 
now  to  be  seen  in  the  National  Cemeteries  at  the  South 
mark  the  final  resting  place  of  the  victims  of  this  cruel 
policy. 

During  the  war  180,000  Union  soldiers  were  held  as 
prisoners  in  the  South,  and  in  the  midst  of  the  great  suf- 
fering and  privations  endured  by  these  men  there  was  at 
all  times  held  out  to  them  one  avenue  of  escape,  one  op- 
portunity for  immediate  relief  from  the  horrors  with 
which  they  were  surrounded,  and  that  was  to  renounce 
their  Government  and  take  the  oath  of  fealty  to  the 
Southern  Confederacy.  It  is  gratifying  to  the  pride  of 
every  ex-soldier  living  at  this  time,  as  well  as  to  every 
loyal  citizen  of  this  country,  to  know  that  out  of  this 
great  host  only  two  per  cent,  of  the  whole  number  ever 
availed  themselves  of  the  opportunity  thus  offered. 

A  number  of  the  Northern  States  have  already  erected 
monuments  to  the  memory  of  their  soldiers  who  perished 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  241 

in  Southern  prisons,  but  the  inscription  on  the  one  erected 
by  the  Commonwealth  of  Massachusetts  at  Andersonville 
is  the  most  striking  and  fills  the  requirements  of  a  whole 
volume  though  it  contains  but  three  words:  "Death  Be- 
fore Dishonor."  What  greater  meed  of  patriotism  than 
this  was  ever  meted  out  to  man  on  earth  before! 

Under  whatever  pretext  the  wars  of  history  great  or 
small  may  have  been  waged,  and  no  matter  what  sacrifice 
in  privation  and  endurance  the  armies  engaged  in  them 
may  have  made,  the  patriotism  and  fortitude  exhibited 
by  the  soldiers  of  the  Union  while  prisoners  of  war  in  the 
hands  of  the  Confederate  Government  stand  without  a 
parallel  in  the  world's  history. 

One  evening  just  at  dusk,  toward  the  middle  of  October, 
while  lying  on  my  cot  revolving  in  mind  the  probabilities 
of  being  compelled  to  remain  there  until  carried  out  in 
the  one-horse  wagon  above  described,  I  was  startled  to 
hear  my  name  called  from  the  head  of  the  stairs  in  the 
opposite  end  of  the  ward. 

Immediately  rising  to  a  sitting  posture  I  answered, 
"Here/'  Upon  this  a  Confederate  officer,  with  a  scroll  of 
paper  in  his  hand  partially  unrolled,  came  to  my  side  and 
informed  me  that  an  agreement  had  been  reached  be- 
tween General  Sherman  and  General  Hood,  of  the  Con- 
federate Army,  for  the  immediate  exchange  of  General 
Stoneman  and  his  officers,  and  that  my  name  was  in- 
cluded among  the  number. 

Had  I  been  standing  on  a  scaffold  condemned  to  death, 
with  my  hands  pinioned,  the  black  cap  drawn  over  my 
face  and  the  fatal  cord  dangling  from  my  neck,  and  an 
absolute  pardon  had  thus  been  read  to  me,  no  greater 
sensation  of  relief,  of  gratitude  and  of  joy  could  have  been 
felt  than  that  which  stirred  my  soul  at  the  moment  of 


242  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

this  announcement.  Aside  from  physical  exhaustion,  I 
was  surfeited  and  overburdened  with  the  sorrow  and  utter 
desolation  around  me;  and  relief  at  that  time  was  like  an 
unlooked-for  glimpse  of  paradise. 

.  In  answer  to  this  summons  I  immediately  arose,  dressed 
myself,  and  walked  downstairs,  for  the  first  time  in  four 
weeks.  On  entering  the  office,  Dr.  Todd,  in  apparent  sur- 
prise at  my  presence,  asked  what  I  was  doing  there,  and 
added:  "I  think  you  had  better  go  back  to  bed."  But 
I  would  as  soon  have  committed  self-destruction  as  to 
have  willingly  complied  with  this  request.  I  walked 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  that  evening  to  the  Workhouse 
prison,  where  I  spent  the  night  lying  on  a  brick  floor  with 
no  bed  or  covering  of  any  kind,  in  order  to  be  "up  and 
dressed,"  ready  to  answer  to  my  name  the  next  morning 
for  shipment  by  rail  to  Macon,  the  first  objective  point  of 
the  exchanged  prisoners. 

!  The  night  seemed  interminable,  but  morning  came  at 
last,  and  when  the  doors  were  opened  I  was  among  the 
first  to  step  out  upon  the  street,  and  thence  to  the  station 
and  the  train  already  in  waiting.  Only  freight  cars  were 
provided  and  I  was  unable  to  get  into  one  of  these  without 
assistance  from  a  comrade.  W.  D.  McElhenny,  First 
Lieutenant  of  Company  F,  was  the  good  angel  that  picked 
me  up  and  set  me  into  a  car  as  easily  and  gently  as  one 
might  lift  a  basket  of  eggs;  and  in  a  few  moments  more 
we  started  out  on  the  return  trip  to 

MACON  AND  ATLANTA. 

Eeaching  the  former  place  we  were  compelled  to  re- 
main several  days,  as  there  seemed  to  be  a  hitch  in  nego- 
tiations for  the  exchange;  if  indeed,  that  most  important 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  243 

of  all  transactions  had  not  already  been  declared  off.  At 
this  delay  our  hearts  which  since  leaving  Charleston  had 
been  beating  high  again  sank  to  the  depths.  But  finally 
it  was  announced  that  a  portion  of  our  number  at  least 
would  be  called,  and  at  once  started  in  the  direction  of 
Kough  and  Ready,  twenty  miles  south  of  Atlanta,  the 
point  where  the  agreed  upon  exchange  was  to  take  place. 
When  the  day  came  for  our  departure  from  Macon  (not 
yet  knowing  whether  all  were  to  go  or  not)  in  answer  to 
our  names  when  called  alphabetically,  we  were  to  step  out- 
side the  gate,  ready  for  the  train.  My  name  was  far  down 
on  the  list  and  one  after  another,  as  they  were  called,  I 
saw  the  rank  dwindle  away.  Of  course,  to  remain  and  be 
returned  to  prison  was  regarded  as  equivalent  to  a  death 
sentence.  Captain  John  H.  Riggs  of  the  8th  (another 
name  low  on  the  list)  was  by  my  side.  Finally  he  and  I 
stood  there  alone,  and  for  some  unexplained  reason,  there 
was  a  pause  in  the  roll-call.  Riggs  was  as  brave  a  man 
as  any,  but  I  could  hear  his  heart  beat,  and  to  me  every- 
thing seemed  to  have  turned  suddenly  dark.  But  the 
next  moment,  above  the  heart  beats  we  heard  our  names 
called,  when  both  ran  out  through  the  gate  as  if  escaping 
from  a  cage  of  lions. 

Many  of  the  prisoners  were  very  much  reduced  physi- 
cally, and  the  trip  from  Macon  to  Rough  and  Ready,  at 
the  best,  was  a  trying  one;  but  on  those  who  were  really 
unable  to  help  themselves,  the  burden  fell  with  a  greater 
weight. 

The  country  through  which  we  had  to  pass,  and  upon 
which  all  (guards  as  well  as  prisoners)  must  depend  for 
sustenance,  was  deserted,  and  desolated  by  the  tramp  of 
contending  armies.  Railroad  tracks  were  torn  up  and 
often  we  were  compelled  to  make  the  journey  on  foot. 


244  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Or,  (for  those  who  were  unable  to  walk)  conveyance  was 
furnished  in  ambulances  or  rough  farm  wagons  drawn  by 
mules,  emaciated  as  the  prisoners  themselves.  But  at  last 
we  reach  Rough  and  Ready, 

THE  POINT  OF  EXCHANGE. 

It  was  early  one  fine  morning,  and  the  first  act  of  the 
officer  in  command  was  to  raise  a  white  flag  in  the  center 
of  the  track.  Here  we  must  await  the  arrival  of  the  Con- 
federate prisoners  who  were  to  be  shipped  from  Atlanta. 
The  face  of  the  country  was  comparatively  level,  altogether 
sandy  and  covered  with  a  growth  of  open  pine  timber 
through  which  we  could  see  up  the  track  to  the  north- 
ward, a  distance  of  several  miles.  The  station  at  Rough 
and  Ready,  and  the  few  houses  to  be  seen  still  standing, 
were  all  vacant,  and  many  of  them  torn  and  shattered  by 
shot  and  shell.  The  humming  of  a  bee  or  the  carol  of  a 
bird  was  nowhere  to  be  heard,  and  an  air  of  utter  desola- 
tion prevailed. 

Under  existing  circumstances,  discipline  was  relaxed, 
and  the  guards  paid  very  little  attention  to  our  move- 
ments. As  the  day  wore  away,  and  there  was  no  appear- 
ance of  a  train  from  Atlanta,  the  thought  of  escape  came 
once  more  to  mind.  But  from  the  scarcity  of  inhabitants 
and  the  desolate  condition  of  the  country,  the  chances  for 
starvation  in  such  an  emergency  seemed  greater  than 
those  for  reaching  the  Federal  lines  in  safety.  Besides 
the  condition  of  my  health  was  such  as  to  preclude  the 
possibility  of  success,  and  so  that  project  was  abandoned. 

As  we  lounged  there  in  the  sand,  leaning  up  against  the 
pine  trees  for  support,  every  manner  of  conjecture  as  to 
the  non-appearance  of  the  train  passed  among  the  pris- 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  245 

oners.  Between  hope  and  despair,  from  time  to  time  we 
strained  our  eyes  up  the  track  in  anticipation  of  some 
hopeful  sign  that  deliverance  was  at  hand.  But  as  often 
we  retired  to  the  trees  and  sank  down  into  a  state  of 
almost  hopeless  despondency;  for  by  this  time,  as  night 
approached,  all  were  impressed  with  the  belief  that  the 
agreement  for  an  exchange  had  finally  fallen  through,  and 
that  we  must  retrace  our  steps  and  take  up  the  old  accus- 
tomed haunts  at  Macon  and  Charleston,  there  to  remain 
until  death,  or  the  close  of  the  War  came  to  our  relief. 
It  is  said  the  darkest  hour  is  the  one  before  day,  but  in 
this  case  it  was  the  one  just  before  night.  The  sun  was 
setting  and  our  hearts  were  beating  correspondingly  low, 
when  for  a  last  look  before  night  cast  its  dark  mantle 
over  the  scene,  we  once  more  strained  our  eyes  to  the 
northward.  When  lo!  a  little  puff  of  white  smoke  not 
bigger  than  a  man's  hat  could  be  seen  just  above  the  track 
nearly  three  miles  away. 

As  this  came  into  view  a  shout  went  up  from  the 
prisoners  that  caused  the  pine  forest  to  ring  with  its  re- 
verberating echoes.  Moments  now  seemed  like  hours. 
But  presently  an  engine  under  a  full  head  of  steam  came 
into  view;  and  back  of  it  the  long  train,  with  guards  in 
blue  uniform  standing,  musket  in  hand,  on  top  of  the 
cars.  As  this — to  us — magnificent  spectacle  came  thun- 
dering down  the  grade,  white  flags  were  seen  fluttering 
from  either  side  of  the  engine. 

The  train  came  to  a  stand  in  front  of  us,  and  as  their 
names  were  called  the  rebel  prisoners  sprang  out  to  the 
ground.  Although  going  as  they  were  to  take  up  arms 
again  in  what  must  have  appeared  to  them  an  almost 
hopeless  cause,  they,  too,  seemed  delighted  that  the  hour 
of  temporary  deliverance  had  come. 


246  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

The  terms  of  the  exchange  called  for  a  certain  number 
of  enlisted  men  held  prisoners  by  our  Government  to  be 
given  up  for  a  certain  number  of  officers  of  specified  rank 
held  by  the  Confederacy.  In  exchanges  of  this  kind  the 
following  rates  obtain:  thirty-five  privates  for  a  Major- 
General;  twenty  for  a  Brigadier-General;  ten  for  a  Lieu- 
tenant-Colonel; eight  for  a  Major;  six  for  a  Captain;  four 
for  a  Lieutenant;  and  two  for  a  Sergeant.  At  these 
figures  650  husky  and  able-bodied  Johnnies  were  given  up 
by  our  government  for  about  125  emaciated  and  half 
starved  Union  officers.  There  was  one  Major-General  in- 
cluded in  this  number,  General  Stoneman,  who  had  com- 
manded the  raid  in  which  we  were  all  captured,  and  in 
which  his  command  had  been  made  a  vicarious  sacrifice. 
This  must  have  been  the  light  in  which  General  Sherman 
viewed  the  matter,  as  no  other  general  exchange  of 
prisoners  took  place  at  this  period  of  the  war.  Stoneman, 
however,  who  was  included  in  this  exchange,  had  already 
been  paroled  and  sent  home  on  a  transport  via  Fortress 
Monroe.  Why  the  enlisted  men  of  the  Macon  raiders, 
hundreds  of  whom  perished  in  Andersonville  and  other 
prisons,  were  not  included  in  this  exchange,  is  a  matter 
that  does  not  appear  of  record. 

As  the  cars  were  emptied  of  one  contingent  another 
entered,  and  bidding  our  guards  good-bye  (they  had  been 
very  kind  and  considerate  on  the  trip),  the  train,  backing 
up  all  the  way,  landed  us  safely  in  Atlanta  about  9  o'clock 
that  night.  On  arriving,  the  prisoners  proceeded  in  a 
body  to  General  Sherman's  headquarters  in  a  private 
house  near  the  center  of  the  city.  The  General  came  out 
bareheaded,  and  standing  on  the  gallery,  extended  con- 
gratulations and  a  welcome  in  a  short  speech  in  which 
he  took  occasion  to  say  he  had  that  day  received  dis- 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  247 

patches  from  General  Grant,  who  had  a  few  days  before 
advanced  his  line  on  the  north  side  of  the  James  River  to 
within  seven  miles  of  Richmond;  and  from  other  depart- 
ments in  the  West  he  had  equally  encouraging  reports  to 
make.  He  admonished  us  to  return  to  our  regiments  and 
continue  faithful  to  our  trust;  that  complete  victory  was 
soon  to  perch  on  the  banners  of  the  Union. 

I  now  hastened  to  the  telegraph  office  and  sent  the  fol- 
lowing dispatch  to  my  sister,  dated  Atlanta,  October  19th, 
1864: 

"SAFE  WITHIN  THE  FEDERAL  LI1STES,  THANK 

GOD!" 

Many  of  our  party  hurried  on  that  night  to  join  their 
commands  farther  West  and  North,  and  they  were  just  in 
time,  as  I  also  was  just  in  time  with  my  dispatch,  for  the 
next  day  wires  were  cut,  bridges  burned,  and  the  track 
leading  to  Chattanooga  and  beyond,  upon  which  the  army 
in  Atlanta  was  entirely  dependent  for  supplies,  was 
destroyed.  Hood,  after  evacuating  Atlanta,  had  swung 
around  into  Sherman's  rear,  and  having  destroyed  the 
railroad,  was  now  threatening  the  invasion  of  East  and 
Middle  Tennessee. 

To  look  after  Hood  and  repair  the  damages  already 
inflicted,  General  Sherman  at  once  abandoned  Atlanta  and 
started  the  army  in  pursuit,  leaving  but  one  corps — the 
20th — under  General  Slocum,  to  hold  the  citadel  of 
Atlanta. 

For  the  time,  all  communication  being  cut  off,  Atlanta 
was  completely  isolated  and  the  troops  and  citizens  therein 
began  to  feel  the  pinch  of  hunger.  Animals  were  perish- 
ing and  the  garrison  was  placed  on  short  rations.  Heavy 
foraging  parties  were  sent  out,  but  the  country  for  miles 


248  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

around  had  been  swept  clean  of  everything  needed  for  the 
support  of  an  army,  and  often  these  expeditions  were  fruit- 
less and  barren  of  results. 

What  added  to  the  general  discomfort,  the  army  had 
been  so  actively  employed  on  the  campaigns  leading  up 
to  Atlanta  that  no  time  had  been  taken  to  muster  for  pay; 
and,  though  there  were  five  or  six  paymasters  then  within 
the  garrison,  with  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dollars  in 
greenbacks  locked  up  in  strong  boxes,  the  army  was  abso- 
lutely destitute  of  money,  and  there  was  very  little  avail- 
able that  money  could  buy. 

Meantime,  the  excitement  incident  to  our  exchange  hav- 
ing died  out,  I  sought  refuge  in  the  Soldiers'  Home,  a 
hospital  established  for  the  care  of  the  disabled.  Among 
the  attendants  here  I  found  Captain  John  Shafter  (a 
brother  of  the  late  General  Shafter),  who  had  been  a  boy- 
hood friend,  and  I  am  indebted  for  the  unremitting  care 
and  attention  which  he  gave  me  and  under  which  my  con- 
dition greatly  improved.  The  time  of  which  I  now  speak 
was  the  few  days  intervening  after  our  arrival  in  Atlanta 
before  the  departure  of  the  army  under  General  Sherman. 

Through  the  kindness  of  Captain  Shafter  I  learned  that 
my  brother  with  his  regiment  was  located  at  Decatur,  near 
the  spot  from  which  the  ill-starred  raid  to  Macon  began, 
and,  learning  of  my  presence  at  the  Soldiers'  Home,  he  at 
once  started  with  an  ambulance  to  carry  me  to  his  head- 
quarters. Accompanying  him  to  the  encampment  of  the 
25th  Michigan  Infantry,  I  there  received  the  care  and 
attention  which  only  a  brother  can  give.  Although  but 
three  months  had  passed  since  our  last  meeting  under  the 
Federal  breastworks  in  front  of  Atlanta,  and  not  more 
than  two  miles  distant  from  where  we  now  stood,  the 
dangers  encountered,  the  labors  performed  and  the  experi- 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  249 

ence  gained  by  each  in  his  respective  line  of  duty  might 
fill  the  measure  of  an  ordinary  lifetime. 

Reminded  now  of  his  last  admonition  to  me  just  before 
starting  on  the  raid  ("Look  out,  my  boy,  or  you  will  lose 
that  watch  again"),  my  brother's  first  query  was  as  to  what 
had  been  the  final  disposition  of  that  noted  timepiece.  I 
then  recounted  the  story  of  my  adventures  since  our  sepa- 
ration, naming  the  fabulous  sum  I  had  received  in  Con- 
federate money  for  the  watch  and  chain. 

But  this  little  respite  came  suddenly  to  a  close,  when, 
two  days  later,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  leave  with  the 
troops  under  General  Sherman,  and  there  was  nothing  left 
for  me  now  but  to  find  my  way  back  to  the  Soldiers'  Home, 
which,  reluctantly,  I  entered  the  second  time.  As  already 
intimated,  the  supplies  at  the  Home  were  scant  and  the 
commonest  necessaries  for  a  well-regulated  hospital  were 
wanting.  A  few  articles  yet  remained,  and  they  were  being 
carefully  parceled  out  to  the  most  needy  from  day  to  day. 
Among  the  few  things  that  fell  to  my  lot  at  this  time  was 
a  little  sack  containing  biscuit  and  cakes,  and  carefully  put 
away  among  them  was  a  letter  from  the  young  girl  who 
had  prepared  and  contributed  the  sack  and  its  contents  to 
swell  the  gifts  of  a  Sanitary  Commission  near  her  home 
in  the  State  of  Ohio,  and,  what  seemed  to  me  to  be  a  most 
remarkable  coincidence,  the  letter  and  the  signature  affixed 
disclosed  the  fact  that  the  package  had  been  prepared  and 
donated  by  the  same  young  girl  who  had  found  and  returned 
the  pocketbook,  as  related  in  another  chapter. 

It  is  a  matter  of  deep  regret  at  this  time  that  I  have 
lost  the  letters  and  forgotten  many  names  that  I  would 
now  gladly  recall,  but  a  half  century's  time  in  a  somewhat 
eventful  life  may  be  the  cause  of  one  forgetting  many 
things  it  would  be  a  pleasure  to  remember,  but  consolation 


250  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

is  found  in  the  fact  that  time  also  is  a  great  healer, 
and  the  lapse  of  memory  enables  one  to  cast  off  recollec- 
tions an  accumulation  of  which  might  in  time  make  life  a 
burden. 

But  "Uncle  Billy,"  as  General  Sherman  was  familiarly 
called  by  the  men  under  his  command,,  was  not  long  in 
relieving  the  pressure  at  Atlanta  and  opening  communica- 
tion with  the  outside  world. 

I  now  reported  to  General  Slocum,  in  command  of  the 
garrison,  who  directed  me  in  a  special  order  to  join  my 
regiment,  then  at  Lexington,  Kentucky,  where  it  had  been 
sent  on  foot  to  be  remounted.  The  horses  of  our  entire 
regiment  had  been  worn  out  or  disabled  in  the  exhausting 
marches  of  the  Atlanta  campaign.  The  route  to  the  north- 
ward was  now  open,  it  is  true,  but  travel  was  dangerous, 
the  country  being  infested  with  guerrillas  and  other 
marauding  bands. 

Finally  early  in  November  a  train  was  made  up  with 
a  heavy  escort  to  guard  and  protect  the  paymasters  who 
were  about  to  embark  with  their  treasure  for  Chattanooga 
and  other  points,  where  they  hoped  to  be  relieved  of  their 
heavy  responsibilities  in  the  care  of  so  much  money.  Join- 
ing this  party  we  reached  Chattanooga  three  or  four  days 
later,  after  having  been  delayed  en  route  on  account  of 
obstructions  on  the  track  and  bridges  burned  and  torn  up. 
At  these  points  a  line  of  skirmishers  was  often  kept  up  by 
the  escort,  in  order  to  beat  off  the  bushwhackers  lying  con- 
cealed along  the  road. 

Near  a  little  station  in  a  wooded  country  where  the  train 
had  been  brought  to  a  stand  I  went  into  a  grocery  (and 
saloon  combined),  thinking  to  beg  something  to  eat  or 
drink,  for  I  was  faint  and  had  no  money.  The  door  was 
wide  open,  and,  on  walking  in,  I  discovered  no  keeper, 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  251 

but  there  were  three  corpses  lying  stretched  out  on  the 
counter.  The  blood  was  still  oozing  from  gunshot  wounds, 
and  the  bodies  had  not  yet  stiffened.  They  were  roughly 
dressed  in  butternut  clothing;  but,  there  being  no  one  near 
to  explain,  and  both  curiosity  and  appetite  suddenly  disap- 
pearing, I  hurried  back  to  the  train.  On  reaching  Chatta- 
nooga good  fortune  attended  me  in  finding  there  in  com- 
mand of  the  post  an  old  Libby  prison  friend, 

COLONEL  H.  C.  HOBART, 

who  very  kindly  located  me  in  a  hospital  train  just  being 
made  up  for  Nashville.  The  cars  on  these  trains  were 
arranged  with  suitable  bunks,  medical  supplies,  nurses  and 
all  the  accessories  of  a  well-regulated  hospital.  Colonel 
Hobart  assisted  me  on  board  and  introduced  me  to  the 
surgeon  in  charge,  and  I  fared  as  well  on  the  journey  as 
one  could  hope  under  the  circumstances  until  Nashville 
was  reached. 

It  is  said  fortune  favors  the  brave,  but  it  was  not  owing 
to  any  active  element  of  bravery  that  occasioned  another 
streak  of  good  luck  that  soon  overtook  me,  for  courage  had 
pretty  well  oozed  out.  Walking  down  the  streets  of  Nash- 
ville without  a  cent  in  my  pockets  and  not  knowing  which 
way  to  turn,  imagine  my  delight  on  recognizing  in  an 
officer  driving  a  fine  span  of  horses  down  the  street  another 
old  boyhood  friend,  Colonel  William  E.  Shafter.  Reining 
up  to  the  curb,  after  congratulations,  he  invited  me  to 
step  into  the  carriage.  With  this  request  I  complied  and 
accompanied  him  to  his  headquarters. 

At  this  time  Shafter  was  Colonel  of  the  17th  Colored 
Infantry,  located  at  Nashville  for  the  winter.  About  two 
months  later  he  won  a  Brigadier-GeneraPs  star  for  gallant 


252 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


service  in  command  of  his  regiment  at  the  battle  of  Nash- 
ville. He  invited  me  to  remain  with  him  during  my  stay 
in  the  city,  and  kindly  shared  the  contents  of  his  purse, 
which  was  really  meager,  as  the  army  as  yet  had  not  been 
paid.  About  the  third  day,  after  expending  what  little  I 
was  able  to  borrow  in  the  purchase  of  necessary  clothing, 
I  renewed  the  journey  toward  Louisville  and  Lexington. 
The  special  order  I  held  from  General  Slocum  directing 
me  to  return  to  my  regiment  was  a  guarantee  for  trans- 
portation over  all  roads  controlled  by  the  Government. 
But  at  each  change  of  road  this  order  had  to  be  endorsed 
or  countersigned  by  the  local  quartermaster  of  transporta- 
tion. Arriving  at  Louisville  I  found  the  Quartermaster 
whose  signature  it  was  necessary  to  obtain  had  his  office 
far  up  in  the  city.  Being  unable  to  walk  that  distance 
and  get  back  in  time  to  catch  my  train,  and  having  no 
money  with  which  to  pay  for  a  team  to  carry  me  (I  had 
spent  my  last  dollar  on  the  road  coming  from  Nashville), 
I  concluded  to  go  on  and  have  it  out  with  the  conductor 
on  the  way  to  Lexington. 

As  anticipated,  he  came  around  punctually  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duties.  I  showed  him  my  order,  and  after 
looking  on  the  back  of  it  he  said :  "This  is  not  endorsed 
by  the  Quartermaster  at  Louisville/'  I  thereupon  explained 
to  him  the  reason  why  it  was  not  so  endorsed.  In  reply 
to  this  he  said :  "I  am  very  sorry,  but  I  can't  pass  you 
without  this  order  being  properly  countersigned." 

"Very  well,"  I  replied,  "you  may  put  me  off  the  train, 
but  you  will  have  to  apply  force  to  do  it,  for  I  shall  not 
leave  the  train  voluntarily."  There  was  a  gentleman 
occupying  the  seat  with  me,  dressed  in  citizen's  clothes, 
who,  upon  hearing  this  sharp  colloquy,  arose,  and,  running 
his  hand  in  his  pocket,  pulled  out,  not  a  six-shooter,  but 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  253 

a  wallet,  and  said  to  the  conductor:  "I  will  pay  this 
man's  fare;  how  much  is  it?" 

Seeing  a  sympathizing  friend  at  hand  I  gathered  courage, 
and,  taking  hold  of  the  stranger's  arm,  asked  him  to  sit 
down,  stating  that  I  did  not  wish  him  to  pay  my  fare; 
that  I  was  entitled  under  the  circumstances  to  transporta- 
tion on  Uncle  Sam's  cars,  and  now  insisted  upon  a  free 
ride.  Upon  this  the  conductor  turned  around  and  walked 
away  without  another  word,  and  I  rode  quietly  on  to  Lex- 
ington. The  stranger,  so  he  informed  me  later,  had  been 
a  soldier  in  the  20th  Kentucky  Infantry,  and,  of  course, 
was  a  Union  man. 

When  the  train  arrived  in  Lexington  it  was  dark,  and 
not  being  able  to  look  further  for  my  regiment,  in  which, 
of  course,  I  would  have  found  such  relief  as  I  stood  in 
immediate  need  of,  as  well  as  many 

SYMPATHIZING  FRIENDS, 

I  went  to  a  hotel  and  retired  for  the  night,  though  not  to 
sleep.  Sallying  forth  early  the  next  morning,  expecting 
to  find  members  of  my  regiment  strolling  about  the  streets 
(for  when  in  camp  a  certain  proportion  of  men  are  always 
off  duty  with  plenty  of  leisure),  but  it  did  not  add  much 
to  my  peace  of  mind  to  learn  that  but  a  day  or  two  before 
the  whole  regiment,  now  thoroughly  mounted,  had  left  to 
join  the  army  under  General  Thomas  on  the  Nashville 
campaign,  and  I  now  resolved  to  report  to  General  Bur- 
bridge,  in  command  of  the  department  headquarters  in 
Lexington. 

While  moving  down  the  street  with  that  purpose  in  view, 
and  ruminating  somewhat  disconsolately  upon  the  situa- 
tion, whom  should  I  chance  to  meet  but  Captain , 


254  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

of  the  8th  Kegiment,  who  had  obtained  leave  of  absence 
and  was  about  to  start  for  home.  Of  course,  we  were 
fellow-officers  in  the  same  regiment  and  I  had  known  him 
well,  and  as  he  had  already  remarked  upon  my  attenuated 
form  and  generally  forlorn  appearance,  I  ventured  to  ask 
him  for  a  loan  of  money,  as  that,  next  to  friends,  would 
be  most  helpful  under  the  circumstances.  He  had  just 
received  his  pay  and  his  pockets  were  replete  with  green- 
backs, but  I  saw  at  a  glance  my  request  had  given  him  a 
nervous  shock,  and  that  the  proposition  for  a  loan  was  not 
meeting  with  that  favorable  consideration  one  might 
reasonably  hope  for,  everything  being  considered.  But 
after  some  hesitation  he  arose  to  the  occasion  and  asked 
if  five  dollars  would  answer  my  requirements.  Now,  green- 
backs had  depreciated  in  value  two  hundred  per  cent.,  and 
five  dollars  then  had  little  more  purchasing  power  than 
a  dollar  would  have  at  the  present  time,  and,  concluding 
that  giving  up  such  an  amount  would  cause  him  more  dis- 
tress than  the  loan  would  be  of  benefit  to  me,  I  thanked 
him  for  his  generous  offer  and  concluded  the  interview 
with  the  remark  that  I  was  not  much  in  need  of  money, 
anyway. 

But  in  going  not  more  than  a  half  square  farther  I  met 
another  officer,  Captain  Samuel  Wells,  also  about  to  start 
for  home.  Though  of  the  same  name,  Captain  Wells  was 
not  a  relative  of  mine,  only  a  comrade,  as  the  other  Cap- 
tain was.  After  a  cordial  greeting  he  remarked  upon  my 
distressing  appearance,  and  while  undertaking  to  tell  him 
something  of  the  experiences  I  had  gone  through  since  the 
•unfortunate  outcome  of  the  Stoneman  raid,  he  interrupted 
by  asking:  "Are  you  in  need  of  money?"  and,  as  I  re- 
plied in  the  affirmative,  he  said:  "How  much  do  you 
want  ?"  "About  fifty  dollars  will  do  me  for  present  needs," 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  255 

I  answered.  Thereupon  putting  his  hand  in  his  pocket  he 
drew  out  a  roll  of  greenbacks,  remarking  as  he  did  so, 
"You  had  better  have  a  hundred,  you  will  need  it,"  and, 
counting  out  that  amount  of  money,  he  handed  it  over  to 
me.  All  of  which  goes  to  show  one  does  not  have  to  travel 
far  to  find  there  is  a  vast  difference  in  comradeship  and 
in  men. 

Together  we  went  to  headquarters,  and  while  I  was 
seated  Captain  Wells  attended  to  the  details  of  securing 
my  leave  of  absence  for  thirty  days.  There  was  no  pay- 
master nearer  than  Cincinnati,  and  together  we  took  an 
early  train  for  that  place.  Stimulated  by  this  active  sym- 
pathy and  the  hope  of  soon  meeting  other  friends,  my 
strength  and  spirits  rapidly  returned.  At  Cincinnati,  after 
drawing  the  six  or  seven  months'  pay  then  due,  we  re- 
mained two  days,  attending  the  theater  each  night,  wit- 
nessing Edwin  Adams  in  his  celebrated  roles  of  "Enoch 
Arden"  and  "Don  Caesar  de  Bazan"  at  Pike's  Opera  House. 
This  part  of  our  narrative  is  now  gladly  abandoned  for 
that  of 

THE  SECOND  HOME-COMING. 

The  conditions  at  home  at  this  time  had  materially 
changed  from  those  of  twelve  months  before.  War,  as 
aptly  defined  by  General  Sherman,  had  become  a  settled 
condition  in  the  daily  life  of  the  people.  Many  soldiers 
were  being  mustered  out  and  returned  home  by  reason  of 
the  expiration  of  the  three-year  term  of  service,  or  else 
were  "veteranizing,"  as  the  reenlistment  for  a  second  three- 
year  term  was  called.  Many  took  the  latter  course,  and 
after  a  thirty  days'  leave  of  absence  among  friends  again 
returned  to  the  front  to  fight  it  out  on  original  lines. 

Traveling  by  rail  through  the  country  in  any  direction 


256  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

the  fall  of  1864  the  grim  specter  of  war  in  some  form 
confronted  one  at  every  turn.  In  the  towns  and  villages 
where  trains  were  scheduled  to  stop  great  oblong  boxes 
made  of  rough  boards  (gruesomely  styled  "wooden  over- 
coats") were  being  unloaded  from  time  to  time.  Every 
one  of  these  contained  the  remains  of  some  soldier  who 
somewhere  at  the  front  had  answered  the  final  roll-call 
and  paid  the  last  full  measure  of  devotion  to  his  country. 
Maimed  and  disabled  veterans  were  often  seen,  and  among 
them  now  and  then  an  emaciated  victim  of  prison  life, 
released  and  endeavoring  to  reach  home  while  life  yet 
remained. 

A  single  instance  of  this  kind  will  suffice  to  cover  the 
case  of  thousands.  A  father  with  his  son,  who  had  just 
been  released  from  a  Southern  prison,  while  on  their  way 
home  from  Baltimore  to  Michigan,  had  missed  the  connec- 
tion at  Toledo,  where  the  writer  met  them.  They  were 
only  three  hours'  run  from  home,  but  were  compelled  to 
wait  here  three  hours  for  another  train.  Had  they  not 
been  so  delayed  the  young  sufferer  might  have  reached  his 
home  and  his  mother's  outstretched  arms  before  the  final 
summons  came,  but  Providence  ordered  otherwise,  and  with 
a  hard  bench  for  a  bed  and  a  military  overcoat  for  a 
pillow,  the  hapless  soldier's  last  gaze  fell  upon  the  dark 
and  dingy  walls  of  the  railroad  station  at  Toledo.  The 
heartbroken  father,  looking  himself  like  a  corpse,  after 
closing  the  eyes  of  his  dead  boy  was  compelled  to  go  out 
into  a  strange  city  on  a  bitter  cold  night  to  find  someone 
who  would  be  kind  enough  to  make  a  box  (the  wooden 
overcoat  above  described)  in  which  to  ship  his  boy  home 
by  express.  The  box  late  in  the  night  was  secured  and 
the  shipment  made,  and  we  mercifully  draw  the  veil  over 
the  final  scene  of  that  "home-coming." 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  257 

The  draft  still  rigidly  applied,  scenes  like  this  were 
being  seized  upon  by  those  who  opposed  the  war  from  its 
inception  to  discourage  further  enlistments  and  oppose 
the  draft;  and  riot  and  bloodshed  in  many  of  the  larger 
towns  and  cities  made  the  hour  a  dark  and  gloomy  one  for 
all  those  who  stood  ready  to  sacrifice  life  and  fortune  on 
the  altar  of  the  Union.  The  ultimate  success  of  Sher- 
man's march  through  Georgia  was  still  in  doubt;  and 
Thomas  had  so  far  been  unable  to  check  Hood's  steady  ad- 
vance on  Nashville.  But  a  cloud  darker  than  all  these 
agencies  combined  threatened  the  life  of  the  Nation  in 
1864. 

It  is  a  well-known  fact  that  Louis  Napoleon,  while  all 
our  resources  were  employed  in  the  prosecution  of  the 
Civil  War,  sought  to  establish  a  French  Empire  in 
Mexico.  Aided  by  Great  Britain  and  Spain,  he  succeeded 
in  overturning  the  republican  government  in  that  country 
and  offered  the  emperorship  to  Maximilian  of  Austria. 
This  was  a  flagrant  violation  of  the  Monroe  Doctrine,  but 
all  that  could  be  done  under  the  difficulties  with  which 
we  were  then  beset  was  to  protest,  and  in  1864  Maximilian 
entered  Mexico  and  assumed  the  imperial  throne.  Napo- 
leon III  then  renewed  his  appeals  to  Great  Britain  to  join 
him  in  recognizing  the  Southern  Confederacy,  and,  as  was 
believed  in  this  country,  with  a  very  fair  chance  of  suc- 
cess. What  would  have  been  the  result?  For  the  astound- 
ing statement  that  here  follows  we  have  the  high  author- 
ity of  "Ellis'  History  of  Our  Own  Country,"  page  1294, 
just  published,  which  assures  us  that  its  authority  for  the 
statement  was  that  of  General  Grant  himself.  The  secret 
— for  such  it  was — was  known  alone  to  him,  President 
Lincoln  and  Mr.  Stanton,  Secretary  of  War.  Those  three 
in  consultation  made  a  careful  memorandum,  complete  in 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

all  its  details,  by  which  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
thousand  troops,  whose  officers  and  leaders  were  selected 
and  everything  fully  arranged,  were  to  be  thrown  into 
Canada.  This  resistless  army  of  trained  veterans  would 
have  been  across  the  border  within  forty-eight  hours  after 
England  recognized  the  Southern  Confederacy.  Canada 
would  thus  have  been  overrun  and  wrested  from  the 
mother  country  before  she  could  have  taken  an  effective 
step  to  prevent  it.  Grant  carried  the  memorandum  in  his 
breast  pocket  for  weeks,  ready  to  act  on  the  very  minute 
this  overt  act  of  enmity  on  the  part  of  England  reached 
him.  But  England  hesitated  to  do  as  Napoleon  III  urged 
her  to  do;  the  Confederacy  collapsed;  and  the  crisis 
passed. 

Certainly,  then,  no  darker  days  ever  appeared  upon  the 
horizon  of  the  Union  than  the  Fall  of  1864.  On  election 
day  the  weather  itself  was  dark  and  foreboding.  McClel- 
lan,  Democratic  candidate  for  President,  stood  upon  a 
platform  that  declared  the  war  for  the  preservation  of  the 
Union  a  "failure"  and  its  purposes  "unholy;"  and  there 
was  quite  a  considerable  element  in  the  Northern  States 
opposed  to  its  further  prosecution  under  any  pretext  what- 
ever, and  who  demanded  "peace  at  any  price."  In  places 
the  polls  were  protected  by  armed  guards,  and  concealed 
weapons  were  commonly  carried.  But  the  great  heart  of 
the  people  as  that  of  the  army  was  fixed  in  its  purpose, 
and  at  no  time  was  there  a  thought  entertained  in  the 
Nation's  councils  or  on  the  bloody  fields  of  giving  up  the 
fight.  And  so  the  great  Lincoln  was  reflected  and  re- 
mained the  chosen  leader  of  the  loyal  masses. 

My  health  now  seemed  to  improve  and  I  took  on  flesh 
but  did  not  recover  my  strength,  and  it  has  never  re- 
turned from  that  day  to  this.  But  under  the  deepening 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  259 

shadows  that  overhung  the  nation,  I  could  not  well  re- 
main at  home,  and  once  more  bidding  good-bye  to  friends 
and  kindred,  I  started  for  the  front,  rejoining  the  8th 
Cavalry  at  Pulaski,  Tennessee,  and  here  in  command  of 
Company  M  entered 

AGAIN  UPON  ACTIVE  DUTY. 

Remnants  of  Hood's  army,  beaten  at  Nashville,  and 
many  of  them  deserters,  sometimes  in  large  and  well 
organized  bands,  were  fairly  overrunning  west  Tennessee 
and  north  Alabama.  These  soon  came  to  be  regarded  as 
banditti  by  citizens  and  soldiers  alike,  and  when  captured 
were  treated  as  such.  Often  they  were  summarily  shot  or 
hung  when  and  where  taken  without  the  delay  of  a  trial 
or  a  drumhead  courtmartial.  Throughout  the  spring  of 
1865  a  brigade  of  our  cavalry  was  stationed  at  Pulaski, 
patrolling  the  country  and  running  down  these  lawless 
bands. 

The  regiment  frequently  moved  from  point  to  point,  as 
much  for  the  purpose  of  finding  ready  forage  for  the  stock 
and  rations  for  the  men  as  that  of  hunting  guerrillas. 
The  people  were  tired  of  war.  The  country  everywhere 
was  being  lighted  up  with  the  glories  of  a  Southern  spring, 
and  men  and  horses  were  on  "Easy  Street"  (to  use  a 
modern  colloquialism)  so  far  as  hard  marches  or  immi- 
nent danger  of  battle  was  concerned;  some  of  our  expedi- 
tions were  little  more  than  a  holiday  junket,  and  these 
were  enjoyed  by  man  and  beast  alike. 

Remaining  several  days  in  a  place,  we  had  an  oppor- 
tunity to  become  acquainted  with  the  people,  who  mingled 
freely  with  the  soldiers,  and  little  dancing  parties  and 
other  entertainments  were  given  for  their  amusement. 


260  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

The  country  people  in  this  part  of  Tennessee  were  plain 
and  their  manners  crude,  but  their  hearts  were  loyal-  and 
hospitality  unbounded.  Native  young  men  were  scarce, 
as  the  four  years'  war  had  sadly  depleted  their  ranks,  and 
the  young  women  were  by  no  means  ill  disposed  toward 
a  good  looking  and  well  behaved  Yankee  soldier. 

At  one  village  a  party  was  given  to  the  officers  of  our 
regiment  to  which  the  young  people  from  far  and  near 
were  invited.  The  young  ladies  generally  were  brought  in 
on  horseback,  riding  "double"  behind  their  escorts.  Of 
course,  military  discipline  had  to  be  observed,  and  there 
was  the  regular  routine  of  guard  mounting,  vidette  and 
picket  duty  to  be  kept  up.  Heavy  rains  had  fallen  for  two 
or  three  days,  and  the  roads  were  muddy  and  almost  im- 
passable. But  this  did  not  deter  the  young  people  from 
coming  from  a  distance  of  two  or  three  miles. 

I  had  formed  the  acquaintance  of  a  young  lady  living 
in  the  hills  some  distance  out,  but  soon  discovered  there 
was  a  lively  competitor  in  Captain  W.  H.  Mills,  Kegimen- 
tal  Commissary.  I  expected  to  secure  the  lady  as  a  partner 
for  the  dance,  but  imagine  my  discomfort  when  notified 
that  on  the  morning  of  the  day  on  which  the  dance  was 
to  come  off  in  the  evening,  I  would  be  required  to  go  on 
duty  as  "officer  of  the  day."  This  would  occupy  my  undi- 
vided attention  for  the  next  twenty-four  hours  at  least  and 
so  give  a  clear  field  to  my  rival.  "Billy,"  (as  the  Captain 
was  familiarly  called)  was  not  slow  to  improve  the  oppor- 
tunity thus  presented,  and  engaged  the  lady  in  question 
for  the  dance.  At  this  outcome  of  the  affair,  all  who  were 
in  the  secret  enjoyed  a  good  laugh  at  the  expense  of  the 
narrator;  but  I  had  my  revenge.  Knowing  well  the  road 
on  which  the  happy  pair  would  come  (both  mounted  on 
the  same  horse),  I  instructed  the  pickets  to  challenge  every 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  261 

one  approaching  the  camp  on  that  road  after  dark,  and 
compel  them  to  dismount  and  advance  on  foot  to  give  the 
countersign.  The  lowering  shadows  of  night  had  no  sooner 
settled  down  than  the  labored  tramp  of  a  horse  was  heard 
coming  through  the  mud.  I  took  my  position  behind  a 
neighboring  tree  to  see  that  the  picket  carried  out  his 
instructions,  and  incidentally  to  watch  the  result  of  his 
challenge.  When  the  sounds  came  within  about  two  hun- 
dred yards  (it  was  very  dark)  the  sentinel  called  out  in  a 
clear  ringing  voice  "Halt!  Who  comes  there?"  "A  friend 
with  the  countersign,"  was  the  feeble  response.  "Dis- 
mount and  advance  and  give  the  countersign,"  continued 
the  faithful  picket.  Thus  compelled  to  leave  his  girl 
alone  in  the  darkness,  the  Captain,  wearing  his  best 
trousers  and  fine  polished  boots,  came  splashing  through 
the  mud  to  the  picket  post  to  deliver  the  countersign.  In 
doing  so  he  discovered  me  behind  the  tree,  and  taking  in 
the  situation  and  the  joke  at  a  glance,  he  began  shaking 
his  fist.  At  this  juncture,  under  cover  of  the  darkness,  I 
hurried  away  to  the  next  post  and  there  remained  till  the 
threatening  storm  had  passed  over. 

In  other  localities  the  feeling  was  just  as  intense  but  it 
took  a  different  form.  On  the  march  one  day  in  North 
Alabama,  Lieutenant  Cray  of  the  8th,  riding  ahead,  went 
up  to  a  house  to  ask  for  a  drink  of  water,  when  two  or 
three  men  rushed  out  and  shot  his  horse  dead  and  mortally 
wounded  the  Lieutenant  who  died  a  short  time  after.  The 
assassins  took  to  the  brush  before  the  command  came  up 
and  escaped.  Our  men,  upon  learning  the  facts  from  Cray 
himself,  surrounded  the  house,  and  after  thorough  search 
for  more  guerrillas,  the  women  were  ordered  out,  the 
house  set  on  fire  and  with  all  of  its  contents  burned  to  the 
ground. 


262  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

A  desultory  warfare  was  kept  up  through  the  spring 
and  summer  of  1865  until 


THE  FINAL  MUSTEK  OUT. 

Paroled  Confederates  from  Lee's  and  Johnson's  armies 
now  began  to  arrive  in  Tennessee  singly  and  in  small 
groups,  and  what  has  already  been  said  of  the  retiring 
veteran  in  the  North — disabled,  bleeding  and  footsore — 
was  manifest  here,  but  in  a  more  exaggerated  form.  Re- 
turning Confederates  were  frequently  met  on  the  road  by 
our  scouting  parties,  who  often  "took  them  up  behind" 
to  give  them  a  "lift,"  sharing  their  bread  and  coffee  mean- 
time. They  were  scantily  clothed,  and,  calling  at  our 
camps,  were  never  turned  away  hungry  or  barefooted. 
There  was  an  instance  of  a  Confederate  who,  alone  and 
dying  by  the  roadside,  was  found  by  a  Union  soldier,  who 
took  him  up,  nursed  him  back  into  life  and  sent  him  on 
his  way. 

But  when  the  final  surrender  came  the  rejoicing  in  camp 
knew  no  bounds.  Discipline  was  relaxed  and  all  sorts  of 
excesses  for  the  time  were  indulged  in  on  the  part  of 
officers  and  men.  An  officer  in  command  of  a  military 
post  in  Tennessee  issued  a  special  order  to  the  effect  that 
any  man  wearing  the  uniform  not  on  duty  who  should 
be  found  sober  at  any  time  between  the  hours  of  12  o'clock 
at  noon  and  12  o'clock  that  night  would  be  arrested  and 
sent  to  the  guard  house.  The  American  flag  was  carried 
by  venturesome  climbers  to  the  tops  of  the  highest  trees, 
lashed  to  the  limbs,  and  there  left  to  wave,  undisputed 
and  unmolested  throughout  all  coming  time.  Some 
laughed,  while  others  expressed  their  joy  in  tears;  but  all 
were  supremely  happy  in  this  one  day  of  unrestricted 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  263 

jubilation,  for  with  it  peace  and  union  had  come,  and 
come  to  stay.  But  at  what  a  cost !  Seven  hundred  thou- 
sand lives,  the  best  young  blood  of  the  land,  had  been 
given  up,  and  the  nation  was  staggering  under  a  debt 
incomprehensible  in  its  magnitude.  The  day  of  rejoicing, 
however,  was  not  one  of  exultation  on  the  part  of  the 
Federal  troops.  The  victory  had  been  too  dearly  won  for 
that.  The  contending  armies  had  by  this  time  learned  a 
wholesome  though  a  dearly  bought  lesson.  The  valor  ex- 
hibited by  one  had  won  the  respect  and  admiration  of  the 
other,  and  both  were  glad  to  let  go  when  they  did,  with 
but  little  thought  as  to  who  had  been  the  most  valiant. 

But  what  a  change  came  over  the  face  of  everything  five 
days  later,  when  the  wires  flashed  the  intelligence  of  Lin- 
coln's assassination.  A  day  of  weeping  and  lamentation 
succeeded  that  of  joy  and  peace.  Lincoln's  untimely  death 
was  an  unfortunate  occurrence  for  the  South,  for  before 
time  had  settled  the  calm  judgment  of  the  people,  fixing 
the  crime  where  it  belonged — that  of  a  madman — it  was 
charged  to  the  Southern  leaders.  The  liberal  spirit  which 
pervaded  the  army  of  the  North  at  the  time  of  Lee's  sur- 
render was  by  this  insane  act  turned  to  bitterness  and 
gall.  Among  the  men  whose  term  of  enlistment  was  about 
to  expire,  and  who  expected  soon  to  be  honorably  dis- 
charged and  sent  home  there  was  an  expression  of  a  willing- 
ness to  reenlist  and  fight  to  the  bitter  end.  The  hope 
was  often  expressed  in  language  more  forcible  than  one 
would  dare  to  write  that  the  Confederates  would  not  sur- 
render at  all,  but  that  the  war  might  be  prolonged,  thus 
giving  the  Union  army  an  opportunity  to  wreak  a  bloody 
vengeance.  Indeed,  it  was  feared  and  believed  by  many 
that  Lincoln's  assassination  and  the  attempt  upon  the  life 
of  Secretary  Seward  at  the  same  time  was  but  a  signal 


264  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

for  the  beginning  of  a  war  of  extermination  the  end  of 
which  no  man  could  foretell.  An  entire  brigade  of  cavalry 
encamped  near  Pulaski,  Tennessee,  turned  out  to  listen  to 
what  the  Chaplain  might  have  to  say  touching  this  great 
national  calamity.  As  they  came  together  there  was  an 
air  of  solemnity  among  the  men  foreign  to  their  habitual 
demeanor,  and  when  the  Chaplain  raised  his  hands  in 
prayer  two  thousand  begrimed  and  hardened  soldiers 
dropped  upon  their  knees  or  humbly  bowed  in  silent  sup- 
plication. The  sorrow  was  universal,  and  mutterings  of 
vengeance  were  heard  for  many  days  thereafter. 

But  the  good  sense  of  the  American  people  at  last  pre- 
vailed, and  in  the  ecstasy  which  the  vision  of  peace  brought 
to  every  heart  the  cry  for  vengeance  was  hushed,  and  char- 
ity soon  spread  her  soft  mantle,  shutting  out  from  view 
the  hideous  spectacle  of  war. 

With  many  of  the  enlisted  men  the  privations  of  the 
camp  and  field  were  no  longer  irksome;  with  them  a 
"fight  or  a  frolic"  had  become  synonymous  terms  and 
perilous  adventure  almost  a  passion.  Four  years  of  active 
campaigning  involving  every  specie  of  hazard,  including 
defeat  and  victory  alike,  had  hardened  and  disciplined 
them  until  they  loved  the  service  in  which  that  discipline 
had  become  so  important  a  factor. 

The  regular  army  under  Mr.  Lincoln's  second  call  for 
three  years'  volunteer  enlistments  (May,  1861),  also  in- 
cluded the  increase  of  the  regular  army  by  the  recruiting 
and  organization  of  ten  additional  regiments — eight  of  in- 
fantry, one  of  cavalry  and  one  of  artillery — twenty  thou- 
sand men  in  all.  While  the  power  to  do  this  was  doubted 
by  many  in  authority,  and  the  proposition  met  with  strong 
opposition  from  the  outset,  the  wisdom  of  the  President 
in  inaugurating  the  plan  is  shown  in  the  fact  that  from 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  265 

this  organization  came  many  of  the  great  Generals  that 
led  our  armies  to  victory.  There  were  many  men  of  mili- 
tary training,  who,  like  Grant  and  Sherman,  not  caring 
to  follow  the  profession  of  war  as  a  business,  had  already 
resigned  from  the  army  and  did  not  like  to  reenter  as 
volunteers. 

At  the  close  both  officers  and  men  were  needed  to  fill 
the  depleted  ranks  of  these  regular  regiments  and  keep 
their  numbers  up  to  the  minimum,  for  they,  with  the  volun- 
teers, had  sustained  heavy  losses — a  total  of  96  officers  and 
2,895  enlisted  men.  Many  improved  the  opportunity  thus 
offered  for  passing  directly  from  the  volunteer  to  the  reg- 
ular service.  What  the  volunteer  officer  has  been  to  the 
regular  service  is  seen  in  the  fact  that  many  who  thus 
chose  a  life  profession  before  reaching  the  age  of  retire- 
ment rose  step  by  step  through  the  various  grades  to  the 
highest  rank  in  the  gift  of  the  army,  positions  of  great 
responsibility,  and  second  only  in  the  honors  they  bring 
to  that  of  President  of  the  United  States.  Miles,  Chaffee, 
Shafter  and  many  other  names  might  be  mentioned  in  the 
long  roll  of  distinguished  volunteer  officers. 

But  there  were  nearly  a  million  and  a  quarter  of  men 
yet  to  be  mustered  out  and  sent  home,  and  to  do  this  with 
safety  to  all  interests  and  the  least  possible  delay  was  the 
problem  that  now  engaged  the  attention  of  the  men  upon 
whose  executive  ability  the  performance  of  this  stupendous 
work  devolved.  Heretofore  on  entering  the  army  from 
time  to  time  and  from  year  to  year,  recruits  could  be 
assigned  to  the  different  commands  where  their  services 
might  be  required — in  the  East  or  the  West,  the  Depart- 
ment of  the  Gulf,  the  Red  Eiver  of  the  South  or  the  Trans- 
Mississippi — without  delay  or  congestion  at  any  given  point. 
But  now  that  the  vast  army  was  to  be  disbanded  at  one 


266  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

stroke  of  the  pen,  paid  off  and  transportation  furnished  to 
the  remotest  points — including  in  the  itinerary  every  State 
and  Territory  in  the  Union — the  question  assumed  gigantic 
proportions,  and  proved  to  be  one  to  tax  the  skill  and 
capacity  of  the  men  upon  whom  the  execution  of  this  last 
phase  of  the  war  devolved.  In  justice  to  the  soldiers  and 
the  communities  from  which  they  came,  the  first  thing  to 
be  considered  was  how  to  set  every  man  down  at  his  own 
door  with  money  in  his  pockets,  where  the  restraining 
influence  of  home  and  friends  would  act  as  a  lever  or 
counterpoise  against  any  excesses  into  which  the  ex-soldier 
might  be  led  from  habits  acquired  in  long  and  arduous 
service  in  the  camp  and  in  the  field. 

Upon  their  final  discharge  the  men  were  allowed  to 
purchase  their  equipments,  which  otherwise  were  to  be 
turned  over  to  the  various  State  arsenals,  including  guns, 
pistols  and  sabers,  which  many,  as  a  matter  of  sentiment, 
were  glad  to  keep.  From  this  arose  great  fears  that  such 
an  army  of  men  just  relieved  from  military  discipline  and 
long  accustomed  to  more  or  less  leeway  in  appropriating 
the  property  of  the  enemy  without  inquiry  as  to  an  equiv- 
alent being  returned,  would  prove  a  menace  to  the  peace 
and  dignity  of  the  communities  into  which  they  might  be 
set  at  liberty.  But  the  results  only  show  how  little  the 
people  knew  of  the  temper  and  quality  of  the  men  that 
comprised  the  rank  and  file  of  the  volunteer  army. 

Though  impatient  of  restraint  as  they  were,  now  that 
their  work  was  accomplished  and  no  more  campaigns  to 
be  entered  upon  or  battles  to  be  fought,  they  must  be  held 
as  a  body  and  discipline  maintained  until  every  man's  mili- 
tary history  was  completed,  muster-out  and  payrolls  care- 
fully prepared;  his  age,  where,  when  and  by  whom  en- 
rolled ;  where,  when  and  by  whom  mustered  in ;  where  last 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  267 

paid  and  to  what  time;  if  a  prisoner,  where  and  when 
captured ;  whether  wounded  or  sick  in  hospital,  and  a  half 
hundred  other  details — all  of  which  must  appear  of  record 
in  justice  to  the  soldier  himself  if  for  no  other  reason. 
That  hundreds  of  tons  of  these  records  are  now  on  file  in 
the  office  of  the  Adjutant  General  at  Washington,  where 
for  all  coming  time  a  complete  summary  of  every  one  of 
the  millions  who  have  been  or  may  hereafter  be  enrolled 
for  service  can  be  seen,  is  one  of  the  marvels  in  the  man- 
agement and  conduct  of  the  War  Department  in  time  of 
peace  as  well  as  in  war. 

Another  wise  provision  of  the  general  plan  and  the  very 
last  act  in  this  great  spectacular  drama  of  final  disband- 
ment  was  to  pay  the  soldier  in  full  to  date;  and  from  May 
until  November,  1865,  $270,000,000  were  so  disbursed. 
To  carry  out  these  details  within  a  specified  time  another 
great  army  was  employed.  The  printing  presses  of  the 
country  were  worked  overtime  in  furnishing  the  required 
blanks,  and  thousands  of  clerks  were  kept  busy  in  the 
various  departments  in  preparing  the  rolls  and  other  neces- 
sary details. 

Meantime  the  soldiers,  without  active  employment,  long- 
ing for  home,  which  now  seemed  so  near — and  yet  so  far — 
and  restive  under  restraint,  began  to  desert  in  considerable 
numbers,  especially  from  the  camps  near  Washington  and 
other  home  barracks,  thus  leaving,  after  an  otherwise 
honorable  service,  a  tainted  record.  Small  mutinies  some- 
times occurred,  which  were  readily  subdued  without  resort 
to  harsh  measures ;  but  all  misdemeanors  of  this  character 
on  the  part  of  the  men  grew  out  of  the  fact  that  the  war 
was  over  and  no  more  real  service  required  of  them. 

The  armies  of  Grant  and  Sherman,  being  contiguous  to 
Washington  (and  for  other  reasons),  were  marched  directly 


268  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

from  the  field  to  the  banks  of  the  Potomac  within  sight  of 
the  dome  of  the  Capitol,  there  to  remain  while  these  pre- 
liminaries for  muster-out  were  going  on.  The  troops  of 
Sherman  in  their  numerous  campaigns  in  the  West  and 
in  the  march  to  the  sea  had  covered  more  territory  than  all 
the  other  grand  divisions  of  the  Union  army  combined, 
and  "Uncle  Billy"  had  earned  the  distinction  of  being  the 
great  marching  General  of  the  War,  as  he  was  also  undoubt- 
edly the  great  strategist,  Grant,  of  course,  being  the  bull- 
dog fighter.  But,  lank  and  nimble-footed  as  the  Western 
men  were,  they  fairly  broke  the  record  in  the  march  from 
Ealeigh  to  Washington  after  the  surrender,  making  a  dis- 
tance of  156  miles  in  five  and  one-half  days,  an  average  of 
thirty  miles  a  day  for  an  army  of  nearly  100,000  men. 

In  this  connection  a  story  told  of  General  Sherman  on 
his  march  to  the  sea  seems  to  be  apropos.  His  ultimate 
purpose  and  destination  on  that  march  was  only  known  to 
the  President,  General  Grant  and  a  few  of  their  immediate 
advisers.  Therefore  curiosity  in  the  North  and  anxiety  in 
the  South  were  rife  as  to  what  strategic  point  Sherman 
intended  to  reach;  and  one  day  when  somewhere  down  in 
the  heart  of  Georgia  an  old  planter,  thinking  to  gain  some 
valuable  information  on  this  all-absorbing  topic,  approached 
and  in  a  very  confidential  manner  asked  General  Sherman 
where  he  was  going.  Whereupon  the  General  replied :  "I 
don't  know  whether  I  can  trust  you  with  my  secret."  The 
old  Confederate,  professing  great  loyalty,  then  declared  he 
would  "never  tell."  General  Sherman  then  rode  up,  and, 
bending  over  in  his  saddle  with  his  mouth  close  to  the  old 
gentleman's  ear,  whispered:  "I'll  tell  you  where  I  am 
going.  I  am  going  where  I  dam  please."  And  that  fact 
no  doubt  accounts  in  a  large  measure  for  the  great  dislike 
for  General  Sherman  in  the  South  to-day;  he  most  in- 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  269 

variably  went  where  he  pleased,  and  the  Confederates  were 
never  able  to  stay  his  march. 

Another  story  characteristic  of  General  Sherman  is  told. 
In  his  various  campaigns  through  the  enemy's  country  he 
had  rendered  himself  especially  obnoxious  to  the  people  by 
the  destruction  of  a  good  deal  of  property  belonging,  as 
he  believed,  to  the  Confederate  Government,  and  thousands 
of  bales  of  cotton  were  so  captured  or  destroyed.  But 
there  was  one  lot  in  which  a  special  plea  was  put  up  for 
its  preservation.  A  gentleman  came  forward  and  appealed 
to  General  Sherman  in  person,  and  in  his  concluding  re- 
marks on  the  subject  a  veiled  threat  was  implied.  He 
said :  "You  better  not  destroy  it  (the  cotton  in  question) 
— that  cotton  belongs  to  Queen  Victoria !"  Whereupon 
General  Sherman  replied:  "Give  my  compliments  to  the 
Queen  and  tell  her  I  have  been  going  up  against  her  can- 
non, her  rifles  and  her  powder  ever  since  this  war  began, 
and  wherever  I  capture  her  cotton  I  shall  burn  it." 

Up  to  the  time  of  the  Civil  War  deeply  absorbed  in  the 
development  of  the  country's  resources,  and  therefore  more 
or  less  neglectful  of  other  important  considerations,  we 
had  come  to  be  regarded  abroad  as  a  nation  of  farmers 
and  shopkeepers  who  would  in  all  probability  suffer  almost 
any  indignity  of  a  political  character  sooner  than  be  dis- 
turbed in  those  peaceful  pursuits  so  dear  to  the  national 
heart;  and  the  general  belief  prevailed  that  should  war 
from  any  chance  be  forced  upon  us  the  country  would  be 
found  in  a  state  of  absolute  unpreparedness,  and  the  people 
wholly  averse  to  war.  Reflecting  upon  these  views  so  gener- 
ally held  among  strangers,  just  as  has  been  lately  thought 
of  the  moving  of  our  fleet  of  battleships  around  the  world, 
it  was  then  believed  that  it  would  be  an  act  of  good 
diplomacy  to  furnish  the  people  of  our  own  country  and 


270 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


the  agents  of  foreign  powers  located  in  Washington  with 
an  object  lesson  in  the  way  of  an  aggregated  representa- 
tion of  the  army  that  had  come  forth  from  the  heart  of 
the  republic  to  do  battle  for  its  life.  It  was  the  culmina- 
tion of  this  thought,  and  to  check  the  growing  discontent 
of  the  waiting  soldiers,  that  resulted  in  what  has  gone 
down  to  history  as  the 

GRAND  REVIEW. 

Accordingly,  on  the  23d  of  May  the  Army  of  the  Po- 
tomac, mustering  75,000  men,  and  followed  on  the  24th  by 
the  Army  of  the  West,  65,000  strong,  paraded  the  streets 
and  avenues  of  Washington  in  one  of  the  grandest  military 
pageants  of  modern  times — a  veteran  army  of  140,000 
men  in  line,  the  two  occupying  thirteen  hours  in  passing 
a  given  point,  seven  hours  on  the  first  day  and  six  on  the 
second;  the  survivors  of  a  thousand  battles,  in  the  smoke 
and  din  of  which  500,000  of  their  comrades  sealed  their 
devotion  in  death.  And  while  only  about  one-fifth  of  our 
fighting  force  then  under  arms  was  here  represented,  this 
parade  afforded,  as  it  was  designed  to  do,  an  object  lesson, 
and  a  very  comprehensive  view  of  the  whole  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic. 

Where  the  march  through  the  capital  led,  windows,  roofs, 
balconies  and  curbs  were  thronged  with  glad-hearted  people 
whose  throats  were  paralyzed  in  shouting  "welcome !"  to 
the  army  that  had  won  an  honorable  peace  for  all.  Ban- 
ners and  streamers  stretched  across  the  street  and  public 
buildings,  containing  mottoes  expressive  of  the  joy  of  the 
people  and  their  gratitude  to  the  army,  were  seen  on  every 
hand.  Throughout  the  entire  march  a  solid  mass  of 
humanity  pressed  forward,  as  cheer  after  cheer  rent  the 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  271 

air,  and  the  whole  cry  of  that  vast  throng  was  one  loud 
voice  of  acclaim  in  praise  of  the  Union  soldier.  This 
grand  pageant  held  the  people  in  awe  and  admiration 
until  the  last  man  in  the  rear  rank  had  passed  and  disap- 
peared. There  was  a  national  outpouring  of  heart  and  soul 
in  gratitude  for  the  services  rendered  by  the  victorious 
legions  of  the  Union. 

But  as  if  fearful  of  not  being  able  to  reach  the  heart  of 
the  soldier  and  to  impress  further  upon  his  mind  the 
sentiment  of  the  people,  a  banner  of  white  canvas  was 
stretched  across  the  entire  front  of  the  Capitol  building, 
on  which  was  painted,  in  characters  so  plain  that  he  who 
ran  might  read,  these  words : 

"THE  ONLY  NATIONAL  DEBT  WE  CAN  NEVER 
REPAY  IS  THE  DEBT  WE  OWE  THE  VIC- 
TORIOUS UNION  SOLDIER." 

This  motto  caught  the  eye  of  every  man  within  the  ranks 
of  those  two  great  armies,  and  moved  the  soldier  heart 
as  it  had  not  been  moved  by  any  other  demonstration; 
and  to  him  who  survives  to  this  day  the  vision  of  that 
lettered  banner  has  never  grown  dim,  though  we  are  forced 
to  the  opinion  that  the  sentiment  that  caused  it  to  be 
placed  there  no  longer  exists.  Complaints  of  the  Govern- 
ment's liberality  toward  the  ex-Union  soldier  are  often 
heard,  and  in  this  connection  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  pre- 
sent a  few  salient  points  bearing  upon 

THE  SUBJECT  OF  PENSIONS. 

The  National  debt  contracted  in  the  prosecution  of  the 
war,  as  before  stated,  amounted  to  the  alarming  aggre- 


272 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


gate  of  two  thousand  five  hundred  millions  of  dollars 
($2,500,000,000),  and  the  annual  interest  on  that  debt  was 
one  hundred  and  fifty  millions  ($150,000,000)— a  sum 
much  greater  than  the  high-water  mark  reached  by  the 
pension  list  since  the  close  of  the  Civil  "War.  But  the 
people  submitted  cheerfully  and  without  a  murmur  to  the 
burden  of  taxation  necessary  to  discharge  this  enormous 
interest  and  the  principal  itself  as  fast  as  it  became  due. 
These  obligations  were  all  payable  in  gold  and  the  money 
went  at  once  into  the  hands  of  the  bondholders  (often  in 
foreign  countries)  or  was  immediately  reinvested  in  other 
securities,  and  not  a  dollar  of  it  ever  found  its  way  back 
among  the  people.  But  contrary  to  this,  it  should  be 
borne  in  mind,  every  dollar  paid  out  by  the  Government 
for  pensions  goes  back  at  once  into  the  avenues  of  trade, 
and,  with  the  exception  of  small  sums  that  go  to  those 
living  in  foreign  countries,  the  people  are  in  reality  that 
much  better  off  than  they  were  before  the  pension  was 
paid. 

To  carry  out  great  enterprises  debts  are  often  con- 
tracted; towns,  cities,  municipalities,,  and  even  govern- 
ments, are  bonded  for  long  periods,  bearing  heavy  interest, 
in  order  to  give  a  coming  generation  an  opportunity  to 
share  in  the  burden  of  taxation  necessary  for  such  an 
undertaking.  This  is  the  manner  in  which  the  pension 
system  inaugurated  over  forty  years  ago  is  acting  upon  the 
present  generation.  Being  the  greatest  beneficiaries  by 
the  obligation  incurred,  the  people  of  to-day  are  helping 
to  discharge  a  debt  in  the  form  of  pensions  paid  out,  and 
for  which  they  are  largely  benefited. 

For  a  moment  let  us  consider  the  ability  of  the  country 
at  this  time  for  paying  this  debt,  as  compared  with  the 
conditions  of  forty  years  ago.  The  population  upon  which 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  273 

taxes  were  indirectly  levied  at  the  close  of  the  war  num- 
bered about  40,000,000,  while  the  aggregated  wealth  of  the 
country  was  only  fourteen  thousand  millions  ($14,000,- 
000,000).  But  how  is  it  to-day?  The  population,  upon 
which  but  a  small  portion  of  this  burden  now  rests,  is 
estimated  at  93,000,000;  and  the  aggregated  wealth  of  the 
country  has  reached  the  enormous  proportions  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  thousand  millions  ($125,000,- 
000,000) — a  national  growth  in  wealth  and  population 
(under  this  burdensome  (?)  taxation)  unprecedented  in 
the  world's  history;  and  all  this  in  face  of  the  fact,  as 
some  would  have  us  believe,  the  country  is  being  im- 
poverished by  the  bounties  paid  the  ex-Union  soldiers  and 
their  dependent  widows  and  orphans. 

As  a  further  objection  to  the  pension  system  it  is 
claimed  a  portion  of  this  money  is  being  paid  out  to  the 
undeserving.  There  may  be  a  modicum  of  truth  in  this 
statement.  Alone  with  old  age  and  in  sight  of  death  as 
most  of  them  are;  indigent,  intemperate  and  garrulous 
though  some  of  them  may  be,  is  it  not  better,  now  that  the 
nation  under  a  permanent  Union  has  grown  rich,  powerful 
and  great,  that  the  Government  pension  now  and  then 
an  undeserving  one,  or  even  to  pay  out  millions  to  those 
who  may  have  sworn  falsely  and  obtained  pensions  fraudu- 
lently, than  to  allow  one  worthy  soldier  to  suffer  a  single 
day  or  hour  for  the  necessaries  of  life? 

But  following  this  subject  to  its  legitimate  conclusion, 
there  is  much  more  in  this  question  of  "pensions"  than 
appears  on  the  surface.  "While  the  bondholder  received 
his  pay  in  gold,  the  man  who  fought  the  country's  bat- 
tles, won  her  victories,  preserved  her  honor,  and  perpet- 
uated her  institutions,  performed  his  service  for  the 
magnificent  consideration  of  thirteen  dollars  a  month, 


274 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


taking  his  pay  in  a  depreciated  currency  worth  not  more 
than  fifty  cents  on  the  dollar.  So  that,,  in  point  of  fact, 
the  average  wage  of  the  enlisted  man  in  the  Civil  War 
was  about  six  and  one-half  dollars  a  month. 

From  earliest  time  the  country  has  depended  entirely 
upon  volunteer  enlistments  for  men  to  defend  its  honor 
and  fight  its  battles,  a  large  standing  army  seeming  to  be 
inimical  to  the  Republican  idea.  And  while  the  stipu- 
lated pay  of  the  volunteer  has  always  been  meager,  as 
compared  with  the  pay  of  wage  earners  in  civil  life,  it  has 
been  a  settled  policy  of  the  Government  from  its  very 
inception,  upon  retiring  from  army  service,  to  pension  its 
fighting  men  liberally.  Immediately  following  the  Revolu- 
tionary War,  there  being  no  money  at  the  disposal  of  the 
Government,  large  grants  of  land  were  made  to  both  offi- 
cers and  enlisted  men  in  recognition  of  their  services;  the 
quantity  of  land  being  graded  according  to  rank  and 
length  of  service.  Acting  upon  the  recommendation  of 
the  Continental  Congress,  each  State  of  the  new  Republic 
took  a  hand  in  this  work,  Virginia  taking  the  lead.  The 
following  are  a  few  of  the  names  of  that  band  of  patriots 
with  the  number  of  acres  of  land  granted  to  each: 

Maj.  Genl.   Gates 17,500 

Brig.  Genl.  Geo.  R.  Clark 10,000 

Brig.  Genl.  (Baron)  Steuben 15,000 

Brig.  Genl.  Peter  Muhlenburg 13,194 

Brig.  Genl.  Hugh  Mercer 10,000 

Brig.  Genl.  Chas.  Scott 15,278 

Brig.  Genl.  Edward  Stevens 10,000 

Brig.  Genl.  Robert  Lawson 10,000 

Brig.  Genl.  Wm.  Woodford 10,000 

Brig.  Genl.  Geo.  Weedon 13,333 

Lieut.  Col.  Henry  Lee 8,240 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  275 

Capt.  Benj.  Harrison 4,000 

Col.  Chas.  Harrison 6,666 

Col.  Robt.  H.  Harrison 6,000 

Time  passed  on,  a  new  generation  of  statesmen  came 
upon  the  scene,  and  in  the  20th  Congress,  under  the 
administration  of  President  John  Quincy  Adams,  a  bill 
was  brought  forward  and  passed  into  law  (May  15th, 
1828),  placing  the  surviving  officers  of  the  Continental 
line  upon  full  pay  of  their  rank,  the  maximum  not  to  ex- 
ceed that  of  Captain.  Daniel  Webster  and  other  great 
statesmen  espoused  the  cause,  and  the  bill  was  promptly 
approved  by  President  Adams.  The  statesmen  of  that 
period  felt  that  the  surviving  officers  of  the  Revolutionary 
Army  had  a  just  claim  upon  the  gratitude  and  bounty  of 
the  nation  and  they  responded  to  that  sentiment.  This 
was  followed  four  years  later  by  the  act  of  June  7th,  1832. 
These  two  acts  placed  all  surviving  officers,  non-commis- 
sioned officers,  musicians,  soldiers  and  Indian  spies  who 
served  in  the  Continental  line  or  State  troops,  volunteer 
or  militia;  and  all  officers,  non-commissioned  officers, 
mariners  or  marines  of  the  navy,  who  served  two  years  in 
the  war  of  the  Revolution,  upon  full  pay  of  their  rank 
during  life,  and  those  who  served  less  than  two  years  and 
more  than  six  months,  received  a  proportional  ratio  of 
such  pay,  according  to  the  length  of  their  service — no  pay 
to  exceed  that  of  a  Captain. 

The  above  shows  the  liberal  spirit  and  gratitude  with 
which  the  statesmen  of  a  former  generation  were  moved 
toward  the  surviving  sailors  and  soldiers  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary War.  Now  it  is  an  inherent  principle  that  in  time 
of  war,  officers  of  the  same  rank,  performing  the  same 
duties  and  incurring  the  same  hazards  should  be  entitled 
under  equal  laws  to  the  same  rights,  honors,  and  emolu- 


276  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

ments  to  whatever  branch  of  the  service  they  may  have 
chanced  to  "belong.  But  that  in  late  years  there  has  been 
unjust  discrimination  in  this  respect  made  in  favor  of  the 
Eegular  Army  as  against  the  Volunteer  officer,  it  is  the 
purpose  of  this  writing  to  show. 

The  act  of  July  28,  1866,  provided:  "That  officers  of 
the  regular  army  entitled  to  be  retired  on  account  of  dis- 
abilities occasioned  by  wounds  received  in  battle  may  be 
retired  upon  the  full  rank  of  the  command  held  by  them, 
whether  in  the  regular  or  volunteer  service  at  the  time  such 
wounds  were  received." 

Under  this  act  many  officers  of  the  regular  army  who 
had  received  commissions  of  higher  rank  in  the  volunteer 
service  were  retired  with  three-quarters  pay  of  the  rank 
of  their  command  in  the  volunteer  army;  Captains  were 
retired  as  Major-Generals,  but  no  volunteer  officer  who  did 
not  hold  a  commission  in  the  regular  army  was  retired, 
however  great  his  command,  however  brilliant  his  service, 
however  serious  his  disabilities  from  wounds  or  otherwise, 
or  however  advanced  his  age.  A  case  is  recalled  of  two 
Brigadier-Generals  of  Volunteers  who  had  been  breveted 
Major-Generals  of  Volunteers  for  conspicuous  gallantry, 
one  from  private  life,  the  other  holding  a  commission  as 
Captain  in  the  regular  army.  They  were  both  permanently 
disabled  by  wounds  and  were  mustered  out  of  the  volun- 
teer service  at  the  close  of  the  war.  The  citizen  General 
having  lost  a  leg  was  pensioned  at  $30  per  month,  while 
the  Captain  in  the  regular  army  was  retired  as  a  Major- 
General  with  retired  pay  of  $137.81  per  month.  But  other 
acts  equally  discriminating  have  followed. 

The  act  of  April  23d,  1904,  is  as  follows:  "That  any 
officer  below  the  grade  of  Brigadier-General  who  served 
with  credit  as  an  officer  or  as  an  enlisted  man  in  the 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  277 

regular  or  volunteer  forces  during  the  Civil  War  prior  to 
April  9,  1865,  otherwise  than  as  a  cadet,  and  whose  name 
is  borne  on  the  official  register  of  the  army,  and  who  has 
heretofore  been,  or  may  hereafter  be,  retired  on  account 
of  wounds  or  disability  incident  to  the  service,  or  on 
account  of  age  or  after  forty  years'  service,  may  in  the 
discretion  of  the  President,  by  and  with  the  advice  of  the 
Senate,  be  placed  on  the  retired  list  of  the  army  with 
the  rank  and  retired  pay  of  one  grade  above  that  actually 
held  by  him  at  the  time  of  his  retirement." 

Under  this  act  354  officers  who  had  served  with  credit 
during  the  Civil  War  and  were  then  on  the  retired  list 
were  re-retired  with  the  rank  and  retired  pay  of  one  grade 
above  that  actually  held  by  them  at  the  time  of  retire- 
ment; 254  of  these  officers  had  served  in  the  volunteer 
army  of  the  Civil  War  and  had  been  commissioned  in  the 
regular  army;  many  of  them  had  been  retired  for  thirty 
years.  Ninety-two  of  these  officers  had  been  retired  as 
Colonels,  and  by  operation  of  law  they  were  immediately 
re-retired  as  Brigadier-Generals  and  granted  $1,125  per 
annum  additional  retired  pay.  A  number  of  other  officers 
of  Civil  War  service  have  been  retired  under  the  provisions 
of  this  law  with  increased  rank  and  retired  pay.  It  is 
noteworthy  that  the  discriminating  recognition  of  regular 
army  officers  in  the  legislation  above  cited  was  not  at  all 
on  account  of  their  prolonged  or  life  service  during  peace 
and  war  in  the  regular  army,  but  solely  because  of  their 
service  in  the  Civil  War. 

Following  the  above-cited  act  for  the  benefit  of  officers 
of  the  regular  army  comes  the  act  of  June  29th,  1906,  for 
the  benefit  of  officers  of  the  navy  below  the  rank  of  Rear- 
Admiral.  Those  who  served  with  credit  during  the  Civil 
War,  whether  on  the  active  or  retired  list,  are  entitled  to 


278  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

retirement  with  one  grade  increased  rank  and  retired  pay. 
Paymasters,  Chaplains  and  other  officers  of  the  rank  of 
Captain  being  retired  as  Rear-Admiral,  the  Chaplains  re- 
ceived $2,800  full  pay  and  $2,100  retired  pay  per  annum, 
but  when  re-retired  under  the  above-named  act  received 
$4,500  per  annum,  the  increase  of  $2,400  per  annum  being 
granted  solely  in  recognition  of  meritorious  service  during 
the  Civil  War.  To  complete  the  work  of  discrimination 
between  regular  and  volunteer  officers  who  served  with 
credit  during  the  Civil  War  the  House  amendment  to  the 
army  appropriation  bill  was  adopted  by  the  59th  Congress, 
authorizing  the  retirement  as  Major-Generals  certain 
Brigadiers,  thus  giving  them  $1,500  per  annum  additional 
retired  pay. 

Aside  from  pensions  for  wounds  and  disabilities  of  serv- 
ice origin,  the  only  provision  made  by  general  law  for 
volunteer  officers  since  the  close  of  the  war  is  a  pension 
under  the  act  of  June  27th,  1890,  of  $6.00  per  month  at  62 
years  of  age;  $8.00  per  month  at  65,  $10.00  per  month 
at  68  and  $12.00  per  month  at  70  years  of  age,  these  allow- 
ances having  been  increased,  however,  by  the  recent  pension 
law  to  $12.00  per  month  from  62  to  70  years  of  age,  $15.00 
per  month  from  70  to  75,  and  $20.00  per  month  to  those 
over  75  years  of  age.  The  practical  operation  of  the  legis- 
lation of  Congress  in  regard  to  officers  of  volunteers  of  the 
Civil  War  has  been  to  disregard  and  ignore  rank.  To  cite 
an  instance:  A  surviving  Major-General  of  Volunteers 
who  commanded  an  army  corps  and  a  department,  and  who 
served  with  great  distinction  during  the  Civil  War,  would 
now  under  existing  law  be  entitled  to  apply  for  and  receive 
a  pension  of  $20.00  per  month  at  75  years  of  age. 

These  statements  are  not  made  in  disparagement  of  the 
gallant  officers  and  men  of  the  regular  army  nor  in  objec- 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  279 

tion  to  the  pay  and  emoluments  they  receive  at  the  hands 
of  the  Government,  which  are  meager  enough  at  best.  In 
view  of  these  facts  it  is  claimed  simply  that  volunteer 
officers  performing  like  service  and  equally  efficient  have 
not  been  so  well  remunerated.  Surely  the  man  whose  life 
pursuits  have  been  along  peaceful  lines,  who  at  his  country's 
call  forsakes  home,  friends  and  business  prospects  to  take 
up  arms  to  fight  his  country's  battles,  ought  to  be  entitled 
to  as  much  consideration  at  the  hands  of  his  Government 
and  a  grateful  people  as  the  professional,  trained  and 
educated  at  the  expense  of  the  Government  for  the  life  of 
a  soldier. 

What  the  efficiency  of  the  volunteer  has  been  is  well 
attested  in  the  fact  that  he  has  universally  met  every 
requirement  of  the  service  and  stands  to-day  without  a 
peer  in  our  military  annals.  In  all  of  our  wars  who  but 
the  volunteer  has  drawn  together  the  fighting  forces  of  the 
country  and  led  them  to  victory.  Six  of  our  Chief  Execu- 
tives chosen  since  the  close  of  the  Civil  War  won  their  first 
distinction  as  soldiers  in  the  volunteer  service.  A  volun- 
teer stands  at  the  head  of  the  army  to-day.  Of  the  2,900 
officers  of  the  line  of  the  army,  1,818  have  been  appointed 
since  the  beginning  of  the  war  with  Spain.  Of  these  1,818 
but  276  were  supplied  by  West  Point  Academy;  the  re- 
maining 1,542  have  come — 414  from  the  ranks  and  512 
from  civil  life  and  616  from  the  volunteers  of  the  war  with 
Spain  and  the  Philippines. 

However,  leaving  the  subject  of  pensions  in  the  endeavor 
to  keep  "Touch  of  Elbow"  in  the  great  march  of  events 
inaugurated  by  peace,  we  are  enabled  to  present  in  a  life- 
picture  another  critical  phase  in  our  country's  history 
equally  stirring  and  dramatic  with  that  already  recounted 
in  other  chapters,  and  one  little  understood  by  the  present 


28o  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

generation.     Reference  is  had  to  the  years  immediately 
following  the  Civil  War,  and  now  designated  as  the 

"PERIOD  OF  RECONSTRUCTION." 

To  bring  the  seceded  States  back  into  the  Union  and 
extend  over  them  the  authority  of  the  general  Government 
under  laws  that  should  do  justice  to  the  people  so  lately 
in  rebellion,  and  at  the  same  time  safeguard  the  liberties 
of  the  ex-slave,  for  a  long  time  baffled  the  skill  of  the 
ablest  and  most  conscientious  statesmen,  if,  indeed,  the 
results  of  their  labor  are  altogether  satisfactory  to  either 
party  even  at  this  remote  day,  for  the  race  problem  still 
hangs  like  a  dark  cloud  over  the  political  horizon. 

The  overthrow  of  the  institution  of  slavery,  and  the 
reestablishment  of  Federal  authority,  with  other  inevitable 
changes  resulting  from  the  war,  brought  with  them  con- 
ditions of  a  social  and  political  character  in  the  Southern 
States  that  never  before  obtained  in  any  other  time  or 
country.  The  Ku  Klux  Klan  and  the  Freedman's  Bureau 
were  among  the  least  of  the  evils  with  which  the  people 
of  that  afflicted  section  were  surrounded  after  having  suf- 
fered the  humiliation  of  defeat.  Had  it  been  possible  for 
the  leading  men  of  the  South,  business  men  and  planters, 
to  have  joined  heartily  in  the  effort  to  establish  just  laws, 
very  much  if  not  all  of  that  which  is  now  a  disagreeable 
memory — namely,  "Carpet-bag  Rule" — might  have  been 
avoided.  But  instead  of  accepting  the  situation  and  al- 
lowing the  bitterness  and  rancor  to  pass  with  the  lapse  of 
time,  fuel  was  added  to  the  flame  by  the  enactment  of 
local  laws  in  the  Southern  States  placing  the  freedmen 
(who  had  now  become  the  nation's  wards)  under  a  bond- 
age more  degrading  than  that  which  prevailed  in  ante 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  281 

bellum  days.  It  would  be  difficult  to  exaggerate  the 
unfriendly  character  of  the  legislation  affecting  them  that 
was  enacted  immediately  after  the  war  in  most  of  the 
seceding  States.  And  when  provisional  governments 
were  established  for  the  enforcement  of  the  negro's  rights, 
many  of  the  best  citizens  held  aloof,  and  by  a  studied 
indifference  (if  in  no  other  way)  often  embarrassed  and 
retarded  the  efforts  of  those  delegated  to  aid  in  main- 
taining stable  authority  and  in  bringing  order  out  of 
chaos.  It  was  the  rule  (to  which,  of  course,  there  were 
many  honorable  exceptions)  that  good  men  refused 
utterly  to  take  any  part  in  the  new  regime,  and  in  con- 
sequence, carpet-bag  government  became  inevitable.  This 
was  often  arbitrary  and  sometimes  corrupt;  and  incom- 
petent men  were  inducted  into  office  and  held  responsible 
positions.  But  this  was  by  no  means  the  invariable  rule, 
for  there  were  among  that  much  maligned  class  a  goodly 
number  of  as  brave,  competent  and  trustworthy  men  as 
could  be  found  in  any  State  or  section.  Native  born 
citizens  who  accepted  the  situation  and  came  forward  in 
an  endeavor  to  aid  the  Federal  authorities  were  tabooed 
and  held  in  greater  contempt  than  the  carpet-bagger  him- 
self. This  fact  will  be  strikingly  illustrated  in  the  story 
to  which  these  comments  are  a  preliminary  introduction. 
But  as  an  example  of  the  indifference  often  exhibited: 
In  State  a  leading  planter  who  had  been  re- 
quested by  the  provisional  governor  to  come  in  and  con- 
sult as  to  the  best  manner  of  adjusting  the  difficulties 
that  were  constantly  arising  between  planter  and  freed- 
man  refused  a  proffered  seat  when  in  the  presence  of  the 
executive,  standing  with  hat  in  hand  throughout  the 
entire  interview,  assuming  the  demeanor  formerly  re- 
quired of  the  slave  when  in  the  presence  of  his  master; 


282  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

thus  apparently,  instead  of  aiding  and  encouraging  the 
governor,  even  hy  a  tacit  cooperation,  seeking  to  embarrass 
him  by  this  sham  humiliation. 

In  view  of  these  conditions  and  to  enable  the  negro 
the  better  to  protect  himself  in  his  political  rights,  and 
also  to  fix  the  status  of  citizens  lately  in  armed  defiance  of 
the  Government,  two  amendments  to  the  Constitution 
were  proposed  and  finally  adopted.  The  Fourteenth 
Amendment  provides  that  no  man  having  been  in  armed 
hostility  against  the  United  States  shall  be  allowed  to  be- 
come a  member  of  Congress  or  to  fill  any  Federal  office 
unless  Congress  by  a  two-thirds  vote  remove  such  disa- 
bility, and  that  the  United  States  or  any  State  shall  not 
pay  any  debt  incurred  in  aid  of  insurrection  or  rebellion, 
or  any  claim  for  the  loss  or  emancipation  of  any  slave. 
This  amendment,  like  every  other  proposed  general  law, 
was  opposed  by  the  Southern  people,  but  had  they  ac- 
cepted it,  all  the  difficulties  arising  from  the  negro  fran- 
chise would  have  been  avoided,  for,  with  the  Fourteenth 
Amendment  accepted,  and  all  the  seceding  States  restored 
to  their  former  status  in  the  Government,  the  ratification 
of  the  Fifteenth  Amendment  (which  is  the  bone  of  all 
contention  to-day)  by  the  requisite  number  of  States  (two- 
thirds)  would  have  been  an  impossibility. 

The  Fifteenth  Amendment  provides  that  no  State  shall 
have  the  power  to  deny  or  abridge  the  right  to  vote  on  ac- 
count of  race,  color,  or  previous  condition  of  servitude. 
It  appears  like  the  irony  of  fate  that  the  Southern  leaders 
should  have  opposed  the  first  amendment,  thereby  causing 
the  introduction  of  the  second  amendment,  and  the  final 
adoption  of  both.  "Home  Rule"  and  local  self-government 
without  interference  by  the  Federal  authorities  was  their 
constant  demand,  but,  as  before  intimated,  this  meant  the 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  283 

virtual  reenslavement  of  the  negro,  whom  the  Govern- 
ment, having  given  him  his  freedom,  was  in  honor  bound 
to  protect. 

But  viewing  the  whole  field  with  calm  judgment  at 
this  time,  possibly  it  is  more  than  one  could  expect  of 
human  nature  that  the  Southern  people  should  have  done 
differently.  With  their  homes  desolated,  neglected  and 
gone  to  decay,  their  principal  wealth — that  of  the  slave — 
swept  from  them  at  a  single  blow;  smarting  under  defeat, 
as  a  proud  and  high-spirited  people  must  necessarily  have 
done;  a  local  government  thrust  upon  them  by  the  con- 
queror, and  often  administered  by  unscrupulous  aliens,  it 
is  not  surprising  that  the  spirit  of  unrest  and  resentment 
led  them  to  extraordinary  measures  in  the  effort  to  throw 
off  the,  to  them,  galling  yoke  of  oppression.  If,  in  re- 
viewing the  history  of  the  past,  with  charity  for  all  and 
malice  toward  none,  we  recall  only  those  acts  of  heroic 
devotion  called  out  by  the  exigencies  of  the  period,  chal- 
lenging the  admiration  of  all,  are  we  not  then  on  the 
broad  highway  leading  up  to  a  union  of  peoples  as  well 
as  States,  whose  law  and  liberty-loving  precepts  and 
example  are  one  day  likely  to  encircle  the  globe? 

Out  of  these  extraordinary  conditions  grew  that  state  of 
society  in  the  South  which  rendered  possible  the  enact- 
ment of  the  tragic  scenes  to  be  described  in  the  following 

STOEY  OF  A  BRAVE  GIRL.* 

It  was  a  delightful  day  in  the  early  spring  of  187 —  that 
a  family  group,  consisting  of  mother  and  daughter — a 

*NOTE. — The  names  of  the  characters  here  introduced  have 
been  changed  and  fictitious  names  substituted.  Also  the  dates 
and  locality  in  which  the  events  transpired  have  been  changed 
to  other  dates  and  places.  In  all  other  respects  this  story  is 
a  narration  of  facts  of  which  the  author  was  cognizant. 


284  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

lovely  girl  of  eighteen  summers — and  three  sons,  aged 
sixteen,  twelve  and  nine  years  respectively,  were  sitting 
on  the  front  porch  of  their  country  home,  situated  on 
elevated  ground  overlooking  the  little  village  of  Kendall. 
Here,  through  the  scant  foliage  in  the  foreground,  the 
waters  of  the  bay  could  be  seen  twinkling  in  the  sunbeams. 
The  soft  genial  atmosphere,  already  cooling  in  the  slant 
rays  of  the  afternoon  sun,  came  in  gentle  waves  like  the 
pulsating  throbs  of  the  ocean  when  wrapped  in  slumber; 
and  freighted  with  the  fragrance  of  sweet  flowers  just 
leaving  their  winter  beds,  and  springing  into  life  from 
hillside,  copse  and  woodland  as  far  as  eye  could  reach, 
added  to  the  soothing  influence  of  a  scene  as  fair  as  Eden, 
and  well  calculated  to  put  one  at  peace  with  the  world 
and  make  him  forget  that  "man  alone  is  vile." 

Owing  to  the  position  taken  by  Judge  Clinton  (an 
original  Union  man)  in  the  restoration  of  government  for 
the  seceded  States  his  wife  and  children  had  been  com- 
pelled to  live  aloof  from  many  of  the  friends  of  former 
years,  and  their  society  was  formed  largely  within  the 
home  circle.  Alone  in  the  land  of  their  birth,  yet  sur- 
rounded by  the  neighbors  of  a  lifetime,  the  family  were 
anxiously  looking  for  the  return  of  the  husband  and 
father  (now  overdue)  from  a  visit  to  a  neighboring  city; 
while  his  prolonged  absence  was  a  matter  of  the  gravest 
apprehension  to  them. 

The  daughter,  most  alert,  soon  catching  a  glimpse  of  a 
well-known  form  coming  up  the  pathway  from  the  village, 
hurried  to  be  the  first  to  welcome  her  father  (as  she  had 
always  been  first  in  his  affection),  and  greeting  him  with 
a  kiss  when  half  way  down  the  path  they  walked  back 
hand  in  hand  to  the  porch,  where  they  were  joined  by  the 
mother  and  the  three  boys,  Harry,  Jamey  and  Wallie. 


CAROLENA  CLINTON. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  285 

The  presence  of  Carolena,  during  the  brief  period  of 
her  life,  had  been  like  a  sunbeam  lighting  up  the  recesses 
made  dark  by  the  proscription  under  which  the  family  had 
lived;  and,  animated  by  the  spirit  and  buoyancy  of  youth, 
she  was  an  inspiration  of  joy  wherever  her  presence  was 
felt.  Just  graduated  from  one  of  the  best  schools  of  the 
country,  accomplished  in  the  higher  branches,  and  en- 
thusiastic in  all  outdoor  sports,  her  recreation  was  often 
found  in  horseback  riding,  in  which  she  excelled. 
Mounted  on  her  fleet-footed  "Clinker"  (a  spirited  animal 
trained  behind  the  hounds)  she  was  often  seen  in  com- 
pany with  her  brother,  riding  at  full  speed  through  the 
meadows  and  forest  glades.  At  such  times  she  looked 
fresh  and  blooming  as  the  flowers  among  which  she 
reveled,  and  free  and  happy  as  the  birds,  whose  songs 
were  to  her  an  endless  delight. 

Notwithstanding  these  outward  appearances  of  gayety, 
that  unfailing  perception  accorded  to  woman  where  love 
and  affection  rule,  had  enabled  Carolena  at  an  early  age, 
to  mark  the  expression  of  care  upon  her  father's  face;  the 
result  of  the  hazardous  life  he  had  led  so  long.  She  had 
thus  been  drawn  to  him  with  the  double  tie  of  sympathy 
and  love,  and  having  a  warm  and  impulsive  nature,  her 
devotion  to  her  father  fell  little  short  of  adoration. 

Seated  on  the  porch,  the  family  had  been  engaged  in 
conversation  but  a  short  time,  when  a  neighbor  named 
"Jack"  Lilly,  well  known  in  the  community,  and  living 
a  couple  of  miles  down  the  road,  went  by  on  horse-back, 
on  his  accustomed  route  home.  A  large  family  connection 
of  the  Lilly's  had  intermarried  and  spread  over  the  coun- 
try, of  which  "Jack"  was  the  head  and  dominating  spirit. 
With  this  prestige  he  was  able  to  call  around  him  a  large 
number  of  partisans  having  little  ambition  of  their  own, 


286  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

but  quick  to  do  the  bidding  of  one  they  thought  superior 
to  themselves  in  the  attributes  of  physical  courage  and 
brute  force;  and  in  the  political  arena,  from  the  outset, 
"Jack"  had  pitted  his  strength  against  that  of  Judge  Clin- 
ton, who,  by  aid  of  the  colored  vote  and  a  few  daring 
whites,  held  that  portion  of  the  State  in  line,  politically, 
with  the  policy  of  the  national  party  then  in  power.  In 
this  manner,  a  bitter  and  uncompromising  enmity  had 
grown  up  between  the  two  men  and  their  followers. 

Lilly  had  been  out  of  sight  but  a  few  moments  when  a 
negro  came  riding  past  in  great  haste,  bearing  the  start- 
ling intelligence  that  Jack  Lilly  was  lying  dead  in  the 
road  near  his  own  home,  where  he  had  been  waylaid  and 
shot  from  ambush  not  more  than  twenty  minutes  before. 
The  people  of  the  community  were  ignorant  as  to  who  was 
the  perpetrator  of  the  crime.  The  assassin  having  suc- 
cessfully covered  his  tracks,  there  could  be  found  no 
clew  to  his  identity. 

In  point  of  fact  there  was  very  little  effort  made  to  ap- 
prehend the  guilty  party.  But  as  a  part  of  a  conspiracy 
(and  contrary  to  long  established  usage),  the  remains  of 
the  murdered  man  were  kept  in  state  for  forty-eight  hours, 
ostensibly  awaiting  convenient  opportunity  for  burial;  but 
in  reality  to  give  time  to  call  in  the  clans  from  all  parts  of 
the  country;  and  over  the  "Dead  Caesar,"  by  the  rude 
oratory  at  command,  inflame  the  passions  of  the  people 
until  ready  for  any  service,  no  matter  how  unlawful  or 
desperate. 

Accordingly,  mounted  couriers  were  dispatched  to  dis- 
tant and  remote  parts  to  spread  the  intelligence  of  the 
approaching  Lilly  obsequies;  and  at  the  appointed  hour  a 
motley  group  had  assembled,  prepared  not  only  to  hear  the 
virtues  of  the  deceased  extolled,  but  ready  to  listen  with 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  287 

attentive  ear  to  any  extravagant  tales  relating  to  his  un-' 
timely  taking  off.  So  at  the  funeral  the  feud  animosities 
existing  for  so  long  between  the  two  factions  were  in- 
voked. Now  for  the  first  it  was  whispered  about  from 
mouth  to  ear  that  Judge  Clinton  was  the  instigator  of 
Lilly's  murder,  and  upon  his  head  the  avenging  wrath  of 
the  clans  should  fall.  The  better  to  carry  out  this  pur- 
pose and  insure  their  own  safety,  some  form  of  law  must 
be  observed.  Accordingly,  warrants  were  issued  and 
sworn  to  before  a  magistrate,  charging  Judge  Clinton  and 
the  two  Huddlestons  (brothers),  Gardner  and  Kousseau 
(all  white  and  natives  of  the  country),  with  being  ac- 
cessory to  the  murder. 

The  warrants  were  to  be  served  the  following  day  (Sun- 
day) and  throughout  Saturday  night  the  sound  of  iron- 
shod  hoofs  might  have  been  heard  reechoing  along  the 
highways  and  bridle  paths  leading  from  every  part  of  the 
surrounding  country  to  the  village  of  Kendall.  As  the 
rays  of  the  morning  sun  reached  the  spire  of  the  little 
church  standing  just  in  front  of  the  Clinton  cottage,  two 
hundred  and  fifty  men,  grim-visaged  and  armed  to  the 
teeth,  had  assembled  in  the  streets,  apparently  awaiting 
the  appearance  of  some  one  to  assume  leadership. 

They  had  not  long  to  wait.  The  usual  hour  for  break- 
fast had  not  arrived,  when  the  sheriff  came  with  a  number 
of  deputies  and  took  the  Huddlestons  into  custody.  These 
men  expressed  a  desire  to  eat  their  breakfast  before  going 
to  jail,  which  request  was  granted.  While  so  engaged, 
they  clandestinely  sent  a  note  to  Judge  Clinton,  inform- 
ing him  of  what  had  taken  place  and  that  a  warrant  was 
also  out  for  the  latter's  arrest. 

Mrs.  Clinton  and  daughter,  apprehensive  of  the  worst, 
an,d  quick  to  comprehend  the  full  import  of  the  gathering  ^ 


288  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

storm,  besought  the  husband  and  father  to  mount  a  horse 
and  flee  from  the  imminent  danger  that  threatened.  To 
this  he  replied  that  he  had  nothing  to  fear,  as  he  was  in- 
nocent of  any  crime  or  offense  against  the  law;  that  to 
leave  would  but  strengthen  the  suspicion  of  guilt  already 
aroused  by  false  accusation;  and  that  his  decision  to  re- 
main and  face  his  accusers  was  irrevocable. 

Nevertheless,  while  the  breakfast  was  in  preparation 
Carolena  sent  a  servant  to  the  stable  with  orders  to  saddle 
and  bring  out  her  horse,  thinking  her  father  might  yet  be 
prevailed  upon  to  place  hiniself  out  of  reach  of  his  enemies 
until  such  time  as  the  first  heat  of  passion  had  subsided. 
But  while  the  mother  and  daughter  were  thus  pleading 
the  Sheriff  came  with  a  number  of  deputies  and  placed 
Judge  Clinton  under  arrest.  The  Judge  then  sought  an 
opportunity  to  send  word  to  Gardner  and  Rousseau,  who 
lived  in  an  adjoining  village,  advising  them  to  come  in 
and  give  themselves  up. 

At  this  time  armed 'men  came  from  the  street  into  the 
yard  and  surrounded  the  house,  and  the  Sheriff  told  Judge 
Clinton  he  must  be  taken  to  jail.  To  this  the  family 
objected,  as  the  Sheriff  had  previously  promised  that  the 
Judge  would  be  kept  under  guard  in  his  own  house.  But 
the  Sheriff  was  unmoved  and  seemed  to  be  governed  en- 
tirely by  the  demands  of  the  mob. 

Mrs.  Clinton  now  asked  the  privilege  of  being  alone  with 
her  husband  for  a  few  minutes  before  bidding  him  good- 
bye, perhaps  for  the  last  time,  and,  without  waiting  for  a 
reply,  she  took  him  into  a  closet  in  an  adjoining  room, 
through  the  ceiling  of  which  was  a  trap-door  leading  to 
the  chamber  above.  This  chamber  was  set  apart  for  sleep- 
ing rooms  for  the  servants.  A  broad  stairway  went  up  from 
the  kitchen  to  these  apartments,  at  the  head  of  which  was 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  289 

a  heavy  door  opening  into  a  hall.  There  was  no  other 
way  of  reaching  this  chamber  save  by  the  trap-door  before 
mentioned.  In  the  closet  were  three  guns,  all  supposed, 
at  the  time,  to  be  loaded. 

The  mob  on  the  outside,  now  grown  impatient,  were 
loudly  clamoring  for  the  prisoner  to  be  taken  to  jail,  and 
many  had  already  entered  the  house. 

Self-preservation  being  an  immutable  law  of  nature, 
Judge  Clinton  now  determined  not  to  risk  his  life  by  going 
out,  and,  hesitating  no  longer,  sprang  up  through  the  open- 
ing, while  Mrs.  Clinton  handed  him  the  guns.  He  closed 
and  fastened  the  trap  with  a  heavy  bar,  while  she  at  the 
same  moment  came  out,  closed  and  locked  the  closet  door. 

The  two  Huddlestons  were  taken  to  the  jail,  but,  not 
seeing  Judge  Clinton  with  them,  the  mob  stampeded  in  a 
body  toward  the  house.  Noticing  his  absence,  the  Sheriff 
asked  Mrs.  Clinton  where  her  husband  was  concealed. 

"That,"  said  she,  "is  for  me  to  know  and  for  you  to 
find  out.  My  husband  has  decided  that  if  he  must  die 
it  will  not  be  like  a  dog  or  a  felon  in  the  street  or  the 
county  jail,  but  under  his  own  roof,  surrounded  by  his  wife 
and  children,  who  adore  him.  He  will  not  leave  this  house 
alive  today,  be  assured  of  that.  Now,  sir,  do  your  worst !" 

Believing  the  crisis  was  at  hand  and  that  Judge  Clinton 
would  soon  be  assaulted  in  his  own  house,  all  the  children 
ascended  the  stairs  and  took  refuge  in  the  rooms  above 
with  their  father. 

With  the  onrush  of  the  mob  at  this  time,  and  unobserved 
by  its  members,  came  Andrew  McDonald,  an  old  Scotch- 
man and  intimate  friend  of  the  Clinton  family.  He 
slipped  into  the  kitchen,  from  which  the  children  were 
ascending  the  stairs.  Taking  a  gun  that  chanced  to  be 
behind  the  door,  he  followed  them  to  Judge  Clinton's  room, 


290  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

and  there  announced  his  purpose  to  remain  in  their  de- 
fense. 

Meantime  Gardner  and  Eousseau,  having  received  the 
note  sent  them  early  in  the  morning,  set  out  for  Kendall  in 
compliance  with  Judge  Clinton's  request.  Arriving  in  the 
outskirts  of  the  village  they  sent  word  to  the  Sheriff  an- 
nouncing their  determination  to  remain  there  awaiting  his 
order,  and  immunity  from  danger  in  the  streets  was  prom- 
ised them. 

It  was  about  2  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when  a  deputy 
came,  and,  placing  the  two  men  under  arrest,  started  with 
them  toward  the  jail.  In  passing  along  the  street  armed 
posses  fell  in  and  surrounded  them  from  every  accessible 
point.  As  the  prisoners  began  to  show  signs  of  uneasiness 
one  of  the  deputies  seized  Gardner  by  the  wrists  and  held 
him  pinioned,  while  another  standing  in  the  rear  emptied 
the  contents  of  a  double-barreled  gun  into  his  back. 
Gardner  fell  dead  in  his  tracks,  but  Eousseau,  by  appeal- 
ing to  a  man  in  the  mob  who  had  formerly  been  his  friend, 
and  at  the  same  time  seizing  and  holding  him  in  a  position 
to  prevent  others  from  shooting,  was  finally  carried  to  the 
jail  unharmed. 

Gardner  was  now  dead  and  Eousseau  and  the  two 
Huddlestons  were  securely  locked  in  an  iron  cage,  and  no 
friend  of  Judge  Clinton  bore  arms  save  the  dreaded  Scotch- 
man, McDonald. 

Prisoners  in  their  own  house  from  an  early  hour  on  that 
Sabbath  morning  until  the  sun  had  sunk  well-nigh  down 
the  western  horizon  the  doomed  family  waited,  watched 
and  prayed,  while  a  mob  of  two  hundred  drunken  and 
frenzied  men,  like  hungry  wolves  surrounding  the  premises, 
were  clamoring  for  their  blood.  The  sharp  report  of  two 
or  three  shotguns  from  up  the  street  and  the  subsequent 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  291 

appearance  of  Kousseau  being  thrust  into  jail  told  too  well 
the  fate  that  had  befallen  Gardner. 

Carolena  now,  in  examining  the  guns  her  father  had 
taken  with  him,  found,  to  the  consternation  of  all,  that 
none  of  them  were  loaded  and  no  ammunition  was  at  hand. 
She  then  told  her  father  that  in  her  belief  the  assault 
already  determined  upon  would  no  longer  be  delayed,  and 
in  such  an  event  they  must  withstand  a  siege  or  be 

SHOT  DOWN  WITHOUT  MERCY. 

She  then  proposed  to  go  to  the  storehouse,  about  fifty 
yards  distant  (a  place  where  general  supplies  for  the 
plantation  were  kept),  and  there  secure  ammunition. 

To  this  her  father  objected,  fearing  the  girl  would  meet 
with  insult  or  personal  injury,  but  she  insisted,  and  with 
her  younger  brother  went  to  the  storehouse,  where  she 
found  powder  and  shot,  and,  after  secreting  a  quantity 
under  her  skirts,  took  some  canned  fruit  and  crackers  in 
her  hands  and  soon  rejoined  the  family  in  the  chamber, 
first  having  sent  Wallie  to  a  negro  cabin  near  by. 

Mrs.  Clinton  now  decided  to  go  and  feed  the  stock, 
which  had  been  entirely  overlooked  in  the  excitement  of 
the  morning.  As  Carolena  seemed  especially  anxious  con- 
cerning her  own  horse,  the  mother  went  to  the  stable,  and 
while  there  (the  servants  had  all  deserted  the  place)  the 
dreaded  shotgun  again  rang  out  its  deadly  message,  and, 
looking  out  from  the  stable,  Mrs.  Clinton  saw  McDonald 
fall  lifeless  upon  the  steps. 

Mrs.  Clinton  had  no  sooner  left  the  house  than  the 
Sheriff  entered,  and,  calling  to  McDonald,  told  him  he 
must  come  down  and  out;  that  in  refusing  to  do  so  he 
was  resisting  an  officer  and  disobeying  the  laws.  To  this 


292  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

the  old  Scotchman  replied  that  he  had  never  disobeyed  a 
law  in  his  life,  and  if  the  law  demanded  that  he  should 
go  out  he  would  obey  the  Sheriff's  summons,  and,  reluc- 
tantly and  sorrowfully  putting  down  his  gun,  he  deliber- 
ately walked  out  to  his  death. 

The  death  of  McDonald  had  given  fresh  impetus  and 
courage  to  the  mob,  and  they  now  rushed  into  the  kitchen 
and  up  the  stairs  to  the  chamber.  On  the  inside  stood 
Carolena  and  Jamey,  interposing  their  frail  strength 
against  the  impacted  force  of  a  dozen  infuriated  men. 

The  entrance  being  barred,  the  leader  called  for  an  axe, 
which  was  soon  brought,  and  after  a  few  well-directerl 
blows  the  door  gave  way.  Guns  were  then  thrust  through 
the  opening  and  fired  into  the  room  at  random.  One  of 
these  shots  severed  Jamey's  arm  at  the  wrist,  and,  crying 
out  in  the  agony  of  fear  and  pain,  the  little  fellow  ran 
back  into  his  father's  arms,  exclaiming,  "Oh,  don't  shoot 
my  father!" 

Then  with  a  crash  the  door  flew  open  and  the  foremost 
man,  with  a  gun  presented,  appeared  on  the  threshold. 
Carolena  alone  interposed  her  feeble  strength  against  the 
monster,  with  no  thought  of  self,  but  only  to  die,  if  neces- 
sary, by  her  father's  side.  First  receiving  a  savage  blow 
in  the  face,  with  brutal  force  she  was  hurled  against  the 
wall,  when  the  bullet  from  a  second  barrel,  doubtless  aimed, 
at  Judge  Clinton,  went  crashing  through  Jamey's  heart. 
The  sight  of  the  boy  lying  dead  at  his  feet  and  Carolena 
struggling  at  the  door,  frenzied  with  grief,  Judge  Clinton 
seized  a  gun  (previously  loaded  by  the  brave  girl)  and 
rapidly  discharged  barrel  after  barrel  into  the  mob;  two 
of  the  foremost  fell  headlong  down  the  stairs.  Seeing  this, 
they  all  rushed  back  in  a  panic  and  the  stairway  was 
cleared  in  a  moment. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  293 

Mrs.  Clinton  then  for  the  first  was  able  to  get  through 
the  door,  and  father,  mother,  sister  and  brother  sank  down 
over  the  lifeless  form  of  the  murdered  boy;  and  from  that 
chamber  of  horrors  there  went  up  a  wail  of  agony  and 
despair  that  cannot  be  expressed  in  words. 

A  stratagem  was  now  resorted  to  worthy  the  genius  and 
cruelty  of  a  savage.  The  cry  of  "Burn  them  out !  The 
house  is  on  fire!"  next  greeted  the  ears  of  the  doomed 
family.  The  halls  were  filled  with  the  smoke  of  burning 
powder  and  it  was  believed  by  all  that  the  house  was  in 
flames. 

Fearful  of  the  consequence  of  fire,  and  as  ever  first  in 
expedient,  Carolena  said  to  her  father,  "See  how  easy  poor 
McDonald  died;  it  is  better  for  us  all  to  go  down  and  be 
shot  to  death  than  to  remain  here  and  be  burned  alive/' 

So  it  was  decided  to  go  down  the  stairs,  taking  whatever 
fate  awaited  at  the  bottom,  and  Mrs.  Clinton  and  Harry, 
with  the  dead  body  of  Jamey,  led  the  forlorn  hope,  while 
Judge  Clinton,  with  Carolena's  arm  around  his  waist,  fol- 
lowed close  behind.  The  former  made  the  landing  in 
safety  and  laid  their  sorrowful  burden  on  the  floor,  but  the 
Judge  and  Carolena  were  confronted  when  a  few  steps 
from  the  bottom  of  the  stairs  by  one  of  the  mob  with  a 
gun  in  his  hand.  Carolena,  with  one  arm  around  her 
father's  neck  and  shielding  his  body  with  her  own,  now 
kept  him  out  of  range  of  the  guns  that  were  leveled  at 
his  breast. 

Where  in  any  account  of  remarkable  filial  devotion  or 
unselfish  bravery  in  woman  do  we  find  a  picture  like  this? 
Herself  already  bleeding  from  shot  that,  glancing  in  pieces 
from  the  iron  grating  in  the  door,  had  struck  her  face, 
causing  the  blood  to  flow  from  a  score  of  wounds.  Nothing 
short  of  the  divinity  which  is  said  to  have  raised  up  a 


294  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Joan  of  Arc  could  inspire  a  courage  and  heroism  like  that 
displayed  by  Carolena  Clinton  on  that  fatal  day. 

But  this  sublime  vision  of  heroic  devotion  failed  to 
touch  the  stony  heart  of  a  monster  standing  near,  who 
discharged  his  gun,  the  shot  striking  a  gold  bracelet  on  the 
girl's  arm,  cutting  it  in  two  and  driving  a  piece  of  the 
ragged  metal  into  her  wrist.  One  bullet,  passing  entirely 
through  the  bracelet,  shattered  the  bone,  while  a  portion 
of  the  same  shot  entered  her  father's  side  and  breast,  when 
he  sank  to  the  floor,  still  in  the  arms  of  his  devoted 
daughter. 

From  a  commanding  position  in  the  garret  of  the  store- 
house throughout  that  terrible  day  there  looked  out  upon 
this  scene  a 

SILENT  AND  UNWILLING  WITNESS. 

Overcome  with  alarm  at  the  flight  of  the  other  servants, 
yet  unwilling  to  desert  his  master  in  such  dire  extremities, 
"Leary,"  an  old  colored  man  and  former  slave  in  the  Clin- 
ton family,  hearing  all  the  shots  fired,  and  from  his  hiding 
place  in  the  loft  seeing  the  family  descend  the  stairs  bear- 
ing the  lifeless  form  of  little  Jamey,  and  the  Judge  and 
his  young  "missus"  torn  and  bleeding,  he  could  no  longer 
remain  an  idle  spectator  of  a  scene  that  had  harrowed  his 
soul  to  the  very  depths. 

But  what  could  an  old,  unarmed  and  despised  negro  do 
with  a  mob  of  over  two  hundred  frenzied  and  desperate 
men?  In  the  midst  of  these  reflections,  his  mind,  as  if 
to  taunt  him  for  his  helplessness  and  inaction,  reverted 
to  the  many  acts  of  kindness  he  had  heretofore  received 
at  the  hands  of  the  Judge  and  his  fair  daughter,  who  now 
lay  prostrate  and  bleeding  before  him. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  295 

Among  the  guests  that  had  been  entertained  there  at 
the  Christmas  season  only  just  past  (that  happiest  of 
times  for  the  colored  man  in  the  South)  he  remembered 
very  gratefully  Major  Weldon,  a  gentleman  holding  a  posi- 
tion in  the  service  of  the  general  government;  and  who 
had  for  several  years  been  on  terms  of  intimacy  with  the 
family,  as  "Leary"  well  knew.  His  mind  turned  to  this 
friend  of  the  family  as  the  one  most  likely  to  render  effi- 
cient aid.  The  old  man's  heart  was  in  the  right  place, 
and  his  instincts  prompted  him  to  act  quickly  upon  this 
thought. 

As  the  care  of  the  wounded  could  not  be  entrusted  to 
the  local  physicians  (and  indeed  fearing  to  be  discovered 
in  an  effort  to  assist  his  friends),  Leary  resolved  to  go  to 
the  stable  and,  mounting  the  best  horse  there,  with  all 
possible  speed  ride  a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles,  and 
apprise  Major  Weldon  of  the  calamity  that  had  befallen 
the  Clintons. 

Reaching  the  stable  unobserved,  he  was  delighted  to 
find  Carolena's  horse  still  saddled,  as  if  waiting  to  carry 
out  the  part  assigned  him  by  his  mistress  in  the  early 
morning.  Without  a  moment's  hesitation,  Leary  mounted, 
and  keeping  under  cover  of  the  timber,  on  unfrequented 
bridle  paths — the  better  to  escape  detection  and  arrest 
by  scouting  parties  of  the  mob — he  gave  Clinker  his  head; 
and  the  horse  soon  proved  himself  a  past  master  in  the 
art  of  scaling  rocks,  fallen  timber  and  deep  gulches,  that 
constantly  beset  his  way  through  the  forest. 

Arrived  in  Staunton,  Leary  at  once  disclosed  to  Major 
Weldon  the  object  of  his  mission,  giving  the  details  of 
what  had  transpired  at  Kendall  that  day,  so  far  as  his 
bewildered  mind  could  retain  the -facts. 

Though  aware  of  the  great  confidence  reposed  in  Leary 


296  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

by  the  family,  Major  Weldon  could  not  but  believe  he  had 
overdrawn  the  picture  and  that  matters  were  not  so  bad 
as  they  had  been  made  to  appear.  But  decisive  in  action, 
he  at  once  began  preparations  for  departure  to  Kendall; 
and  here  his  experience  as  a  cavalryman  during  the  Civil 
War  was  his  guide  in  caring  for  the  horse  upon  which  so 
much  depended  in  carrying  him  to  the  object  of  his 
heart's  desire. 

First  ordering  Clinker  to  be  taken  to  the  stable,  un- 
saddled, groomed  and  otherwise  cared  for,  his  next 
thought  was  of  a  surgeon.  The  only  one  that  could  be 
found  at  the  time,  first  hesitated,  and  finally  refused  to 
go  at  all  with  Major  Weldon  as  driver,  giving  as  his  rea- 
son that  the  Major  was  well  known  in  the  country  as  a 
friend  and  associate  of  Judge  Clinton;  and  he,  the  doctor, 
feared  they  might  be  molested  on  the  way  by  members  of 
the  clan  and  made  to  turn  back,  if  no  worse  fate  befell 
them.  Accordingly,  the  faithful  old  Leary  was  again 
called  into  service,  and  when  asked  to  drive  the  Doctor  to 
Kendall,  without  hesitation  he  sprang  into  the  carriage 
and  taking  up  the  reins,  started  on  his  return  trip. 

Major  Weldon  had  frequently  met  Carolena  while  at 
school  at  Staunton,  and  there  learned  to  admire  this 
amiable  and  vivacious  girl  of  sixteen,  standing  at  the  head 
of  her  classes  and  soon  after  to  graduate  with  the  highest 
honors.  It  is  not  surprising  that  this  strong  man  of  af- 
fairs, single  as  he  was  (though  her  senior  by  twelve  years), 
should  become  more  and  more  interested,  as  their  ac- 
quaintance ripened,  in  this  attractive  and  accomplished 
young  woman. 

After  seeing  the  Doctor  off  on  his  journey,  and  bidding 
good-bye  to  a  few  friends  and  sympathizers,  he  went  to 
the  stable  where  he  found  Clinker,  now  thoroughly  rested 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  297 

and  ready  for  the  road.  As  he  came  up  behind  him,  the 
horse  turned  and  whinnied,  which,  in  Major  Weldon's 
heart,  was  interpreted  to  mean:  "All  the  strength  and 
courage  you  and  I  possess  is  about  to  be  put  to  the  test, 
for  those  we  both  love  are  in  the  direst  peril." 

He  lost  no  time  in  mounting,  and  first  reaching  tne 
open  country  on  an  easy  lope,  Major  Weldon  gradually 
relaxed  the  pressure  on  the  bit,  and  the  fire  soon  began 
to  fly  from  Clinker's  steel  plates  like  sparks  from  the 
blacksmith's  forge;  as,  with  head  down,  in  a  long  swing- 
ing stride,  he  measured  the  ground  for  the  first  fifteen 
miles  without  a  break. 

Here,  coming  to  a  little  creek,  Major  Weldon  dis- 
mounted and  gave  his  horse  a  light  drink  of  water.  Then 
walked  by  his  side  for  twenty  minutes,  at  the  end  of 
which  time  he  remounted,  and  Clinker  resumed  his 
former  gait.  The  journey  thus  far  had  been  made  with- 
out incident. 

It  was  now  becoming  quite  dusk,  and  two  or  three  miles 
from  Kendall,  when  passing  through  a  thickly-wooded 
ground  in  a  lonely  spot,  Major  Weldon  saw  two  horsemen 
coming  toward  him,  whom  he  recognized  as  being  desper- 
ate men.  Knowing  the  purposes  of  the  men  engaged 
in  the  affair  at  Kendall,  he  had  grave  apprehension  of 
danger,  so  taking  a  six-shooter  in  his  hand  he  covered  it 
with  a  light  overcoat  that  hung  on  the  pommel  of  his 
saddle,  and  rode  on,  keeping  the  center  of  the  track,  and 
as  he  drew  near,  the  two  men  separated,  going  on  either 
side  of  the  road,  leaving  room  for  a  passenger  to  pass 
between.  This  was  an  ominous  movement  that  put  Major 
Weldon  more  thoroughly  on  his  guard;  but  realizing  there 
was  nothing  to  be  gained  in  hesitation,  or  showing  any 
signs  of  taking  the  back  track,  he  rode  quietly  forward 


298  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

until  nearly  abreast  of  them  when  the  man  on  the  right 
cried  out: 

"Halt!    Who  are  you,  and  where  are  you  going?" 

Immediately  throwing  himself  forward  on  the  left-hand 
side  of  his  horse  and  putting  the  spurs  into  his  flanks,  he 
at  the  same  instant  discharged  his  revolver  full  in  the 
face  of  the  man  who  had  challenged. 

Clinker,  desperately  frightened  hy  the  shots,  and  mad- 
dened hy  the  spurs,  now  sprang  forward  with  the  velocity 
of  the  wind.  Two  shots  followed  the  Major  in  rapid  suc- 
cession, hut  still  unharmed,  glancing  hack  he  saw  his  man 
reeling  from  the  saddle  as  the  one  from  the  opposite  side 
rode  forward  and  caught  the  wounded  man  in  his  arms. 
An  angle  in  the  road  soon  placed  them  out  of  range,  and 
within  the  next  twenty  minutes,  with  a  foaming  horse, 
the  Major  rode  up  to  the  hack  gate  of  the  Clinton  cot- 
tage, where  he  met  Harry,  the  older  son,  and  learned  from 
him  that  the  Doctor  had  arrived  but  a  few  moments  be- 
fore. 

The  scene  that  met  his  gaze  as  he  entered  the  house  was 
one  to  appall  the  stoutest  heart.  Jamey  dead  in  the 
parlor,  Judge  Clinton  and  Carolena  on  beds  in  another 
room,  both  wounded  to  the  death;  and  the  lifeless  bodies 
of  Gardner  and  McDonald  lying  in  an  outhouse.  The 
wounded  were  on  the  first  floor  and  not  far  from  the 
street,  and  as  threats  had  been  made  that  the  assault 
would  be  renewed  should  the  Judge's  wounds  prove  to 
be  not  fatal,  planks  were  nailed  up  at  the  windows  for 
greater  security  against  an  attack.  A  half  dozen  shotguns 
were  kept  loaded  ready  for  instant  use,  and  this  once 
happy  home  was  thus  suddenly  changed  to  charnel  house 
and  a  barrack.  ***** 

Within  fifty  yards  of  the  spot  where,  at  the  beginning 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  299 

of  our  story,  the  dead  body  of  Jack  Lilly  was  found  in  the 
road,  some  ten  years  before,  there  stood  a  little  cabin  with 
trailing  arbutus  over  its  door  and  only  window,  orna- 
mented with  a  curtain  of  cheap  material  gathered  into 
folds,  and  hanging  gracefully  from  its  top  and  sides.  This 
was  the  home  of 

ISAAC  LANDERS. 

Isaac  was  an  ex-slave  reared  in  the  Lilly  family,  and 
Martha,  his  wife,  was  a  mulatto  of  more  than  ordinary 
comeliness.  In  this  snug  little  cabin,  located  on  the  Lilly 
plantation,  all  were  happy,  until  Isaac,  having  to  go  a 
distance  to  obtain  work,  returned  one  day  after  a  long 
absence,  and  found  his  wife  just  packing  up  her  belong- 
ings, preparatory  to  going,  as  she  declared,  to  take  up  her 
residence  with  the  Lillys. 

Filled  with  indignation  and  jealous  rage,  Isaac  went  at 
once  to  seek  the  man  who  had  despoiled  his  home  and 
robbed  him  of  all  he  held  dear.  He  had  gone  but  a  few 
yards  from  his  house,  when  he  met  Lilly  on  the  road  with 
a  team,  then  about  to  carry  Martha  away  with  all  her 
effects.  An  encounter  ensued  in  which  Isaac  made  an  at- 
tempt upon  Lilly's  life,  but  succeeded  only  in  inflicting 
wounds  from  which  he  recovered  in  a  few  weeks,  and 
Isaac  was  compelled  to  flee  the  country. 

In  the  long  years  that  intervened  up  to  the  time  our 
story  begins,  Isaac  had  never  been  heard  from,  and  the 
incident  in  Kendall  was  forgotten.  But  after  years  of 
patient  effort,  he  succeeded  in  accumulating  enough  money 
to  carry  him  back  to  the  place  of  his  once  happy  home, 
where  he  went,  determined  to  be  avenged  for  the  great 
wrong  he  had  suffered. 

Reaching  the  neighborhood  of  Kendall,  unknown  and 


300  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

unobserved  by  anyone,  secreted  in  the  woods  and  dense 
thicket  by  the  roadside,  he  waited  the  opportunity  that 
soon  came,  and  Lilly  fell  from  his  horse  to  the  ground 
and  expired,  as  narrated  above. 

Unable  to  escape  from  the  country,  Isaac  was  finally 
apprehended,  arrested  and  convicted  of  the  murder  of  the 
man  who  had  ruined  his  home  and  driven  him  into  exile, 
and  this  crime  was  made  the  pretext  for  the  slaughter  of 
Judge  Clinton  and  five  other  innocent  victims. 

And  now  comes  the  most  remarkable  incident  in  this 
long  line  of  dramatic  events,  and  one  that  furnishes  an 
explanatory  key  to  our  story,  in  that  it  shows  the  anxiety 
that  moved  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  the  people  in 
that  blood-stained  community. 

Anticipating  his  execution,  it  was  reported  that  Landers 
would  on  that  occasion  make  a  full  confession  of  his  guilt 
and  give  the  names  of  white  men  accessory  to  the  murder. 
Accordingly,  a  scaffold  was  erected  in  a  deep  forest,  where 
a  natural  amphitheater  afforded  a  commanding  view  from 
every  direction.  At  the  foot  of  the  gallows  a  grave  of 
ample  proportions  was  dug  to  receive  the  remains  of  Isaac 
after  his  confession  had  been  made  and  the  trap  sprung. 

At  the  appointed  hour  for  the  execution  a  large  crowd 
had  assembled  on  the  grounds.  The  Sheriff,  with  a  posse  of 
deputies,  driving  the  prisoner  in  a  rough  farm  wagon,  soon 
appeared  upon  the  scene  and  halted  close  by  the  side  of  the 
scaffold.  Isaac  stepped  down  from  the  wagon  unaided  and 
sprang  lightly  up  the  steps  leading  to  the  platform.  Stand- 
ing there  and  looking  into  the  grave  he  must  soon  fill,  he 
declared  before  high  Heaven  and  the  multitude  there  as- 
sembled that  no  person  living  or  dead  (save  himself)  had 
any  knowledge  of  or  anything  whatever  to  do  with  the 
killing  of  Jack  Lilly. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  301 

For  more  than  two  hours  he  stood  there  and  patiently 
and  respectfully  answered  the  questions  that  were  plied, 
one  after  another,  by  persons  indiscriminately,  who  sought 
to  trick  and  cross-examine  him  into  an  expression  of  some 
kind  that  would  implicate  Judge  Clinton  in  the  crime  for 
which  he  (Landers)  was  then  about  to  suffer  death,  but 
all  to  no  purpose.  And  so  the  black  cap  was  drawn  over 
his  face  and  the  trap  sprung.  Whatever  may  have  been  his 
faults  in  the  past,  Isaac  Landers  died  with  the  bearing  of 
a  hero. 

Thus  the  conspirators  and  the  people  of  that  stricken 
community  were  left  to  shoulder  the  responsibility  of  this 
innocent  blood,  and  we  now  return  to  the  chamber  where 
death  is  hovering  over 

THE  WOUNDED  FATHER  AND  DAUGHTER. 

In  an  isolated  country  hamlet,  having  no  direct  communi- 
cation either  by  rail  or  telegraph  with  the  outer  world, 
with  few  of  the  necessaries  at  hand  in  such  an  unforeseen 
emergency,  the  odds  were  in  favor  of  death.  But  so  long 
as  life  remains  there  is  hope,  and  there  were  brave  hearts 
and  willing  hands  ready  to  do,  and,  if  necessary,  to  die 
for  the  afflicted  family. 

Among  the  few  that  came  to  their  relief  (with  the  excep- 
tion of  Major  Weldon)  there  were  none  with  experience 
in  the  nursing  or  care  of  gunshot  wounds.  The  time, 
therefore,  of  the  faithful  wife  and  mother  was  at  first 
divided  between  husband  and  daughter,  but  as  the  Judge 
grew  worse  from  day  to  day  her  services  were  entirely 
devoted  to  his  necessities,  while  the  care  of  the  sick  girl 
as  surely  fell  upon  Major  Weldon.  But  never  was  a  service 
accepted  more  willingly,  or  performed  with  a  devotion  more 


302  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

single  and  steadfast.  This  more  especially  after  the  doctor 
had  unavoidably  been  called  away. 

By  this  time  the  newspapers  of  the  country  had  spread 
the  intelligence  of  the  affair,  and  the  heroism  of  the  brave 
daughter  was  a  universal  theme  for  editorial  comment 
and  an  inspiration  for  song  and  story.  Letters  of  con- 
dolence and  sympathy  for  the  heroic  girl  now  began  to 
come  in  from  every  part  of  the  United  States  and  Canada. 

It  was  the  pleasure,  as  it  became  the  duty  of  Major 
Weldon  to  open  these  letters  and  read  them  to  Carolena, 
who,  though  prostrated  from  her  wounds  and  the  terrible 
nervous  shock  to  which  she  had  been  exposed,  was  yet  able 
to  converse  and  take  an  active  interest  in  all  that  tran- 
spired around  her. 

Serving  as  her  amanuensis,  Major  Weldon  answered 
many  of  the  letters  that  affected  her  most  deeply.  Thus, 
being  her  constant  companion,  as  well  as  the  only  nurse 
and  physician,  he  would  have  been  something  more  than 
human  had  he  not  been  influenced  by  that  most  potent 
and  irresistible  force  that  draws  a  strong  man  toward  a 
woman  in  whose  immediate  presence  he  has  been  thrown 
for  a  prolonged  period  by  fortuitous  circumstances  over 
which  neither  has  control.  Doubly  is  this  true  when  that 
woman,  possessed  of  those  graces  of  heart  and  mind  that 
so  often  make  her  master  of  the  man,  is  lying  prone  and 
helpless  at  his  feet  in  imminent  peril  of  her  life,  and  with 
pleading  eyes  looks  up  to  him  for  assistance  that  no  other 
human  hand  can  bring.  So  from  day  to  day  his  heart 
went  out  to 

THE  SUFFERING  GIRL. 

But  Carolena's  very  helplessness,  from  a  sense  of  deli- 
cacy, restrained  Major  Weldon  from  making  any  outward 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

declaration  of  his  passion,  though  to  ease  her  suffering 
by  a  change  of  position  he  must  often  take  her  in  his 
arms  like  an  infant  and  carry  her  from  bed  to  armchair 
and  back  to  bed  again.  No  mother's  hand  was  ever  laid 
upon  her  first-born  babe  with  touch  more  gentle  or  a 
regard  more  affectionate  and  pure. 

While  no  word  was  spoken,  the  look  of  gratitude  Caro- 
lena  constantly  bestowed  upon  him,  and  the  apparent  com- 
plete abandon  with  which  she  gave  herself  up  to  his  care 
only  plunged  him  deeper  into  an  abyss  from  which,  as 
matters  then  stood,  there  seemed  no  avenue  of  escape. 

But  finally  one  day  when  holding  her  uninjured  hand 
and  bathing  her  wounds  with  a  cooling  draught,  unable 
longer  to  restrain  the  emotion  struggling  within  his  breast, 
Major  Weldon  leaned  over  and  kissed  her  pale  lips  and 
brow,  whispering  as  he  did  so:  "Oh,  my  darling,  how  I 
love  you !  Would  to  God  that  I  might  suffer,  and,  if  need 
be,  die  for  you !" 

These  were  the  only  words  spoken  at  the  time,  but  the 
slight  pressure  of  the  hand  and  the  blood  that  came 
mantling  to  Carolena's  cheek,  with  the  look  of  ineffable 
sweetness  that  lit  up  her  face  and  shone  from  her  speaking 
eyes,  expressed  more  for  him  than  volumes  of  idle  words. 
"Silence  is  the  perfect  harbinger  of  joy." 

So  there  in  the  shadow  of  death  and  in  a  silence  as  com- 
plete a  courtship  was  begun  and  a  troth  plighted  that  may 
have  been  recorded  in  Heaven,  though  to  the  world  never 
known.  But  early  one  morning,  after  a  night  passed  by 
the  patient  in  fitful  slumber,  Major  Weldon  went  to  her 
side  as  usual  to  dress  her  wounds  and  offer  such  comfort 
as  he  was  able  to  give.  Now  for  the  first  time  the  thought 
came  upon  him  like  a  crushing  blow  that  this  lovely  being 
in  whose  life  his  own  had  become  centered  could  not  long 


304 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


survive  the  great  mental  and  physical  strain  to  which  she 
had  been  exposed. 

Noting  there  was  something  she  wished  to  say,  he  bent 
his  ear  to  her  mouth,  when,  in  a  low  whisper,  she  said: 
"If  I  die  promise  me  that  some  time  you  will  give  to  the 
world  all  the  facts  connected  with  this  terrible  tragedy, 
and  tell  how  wrongfully  my  dear  father,  Jamey  and  all  of 
us  have  suffered."  An  appeal  from  such  a  source  was  not 
to  be  denied,  but  no  one  living  can  know  with  what  a 
weight  of  sorrow  that  promise  was  made. 

When  the  doctor  returned,  the  patients  had  been  three 
days  without  skilled  attention,  and  meantime  their  condi- 
tion was  steadily  growing  worse.  By  day  and  night  the 
ceaseless  vigil  was  kept  up  in  that  stricken  household  until 
on  the  twelfth  day  Judge  Clinton  breathed  his  last  in  the 
arms  of  his  devoted  wife. 

After  his  death,  by  advice  of  the  physician,  Carolena 
was  kept  in  ignorance  of  her  orphanage.  The  body  of  the 
dead  man  was  soon  prepared  for  the  grave,  as  had  been  that 
of  little  Jamey,  by  the  members  of  the  household.  After  a 
prayer  offered  by  the  faithful  wife  it  was  removed  from 
the  house  and  driven  to  the  burying  ground  on  the  old 
homestead,  twenty  miles  distant  in  the  country,  and  there 
placed  at  rest  by  the  side  of  the  martyred  boy. 

For  more  than  two  weeks  Major  Weldon  kept  watch, 
never  removing  his  clothing  during  the  time,  and  on  the 
fifteenth  day  at  noon  the  doctor  came  in  and  informed 
him  that  to  save  her  life  an  operation  on  Carolena's 
wounded  arm  must  be  performed.  While  this  was  sup- 
posed ordinarily  not  to  be  severe,  the  weakened  condition 
of  the  sick  girl  caused  the  gravest  apprehension  on  the 
part  of  the  family  as  to  its  final  result.  But  there  seemed 
to  be  no  other  alternative,  and  consent  was  finally  given, 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  305 

and  she  was  tenderly  lifted  into  a  large  armchair,  placed 
partially  under  the  influence  of  an  anaesthetic  and  the 

DANGEROUS  OPERATION  BEGUN. 

The  surgeon  lanced  the  arm  in  several  places,  but  dur- 
ing the  operation  she  returned  to  consciousness,  complained 
of  great  pain  and  immediately  fainted.  All  needful 
restoratives  were  at  hand,  and  from  this  she  was  rallied, 
but  fainted  again,  exclaiming,  as  the  swoon  came  upon 
her:  "Oh,  how  dark,  dark,  dark!  Will  the  light  never 
come  again!"  Only  that  light  which  illumines  the  path- 
way of  the  glorified  in  Heaven  ever  came  to  her  again. 

Every  assistance  was  given,  and  every  remedy  applied 
that  could,  under  the  existing  circumstances,  be  devised; 
but  she  continued  to  sink.  The  day  was  bright  and  balmy, 
and  as  the  breath  of  the  dying  girl  grew  short  and  labored, 
the  doors  and  windows  were  thrown  open,  and  the  frag- 
rance of  sweet  flowers  from  many  varieties  growing  in  the 
yard,  wafted  by  a  gentle  and  refreshing  breeze,  filled  the 
room.  A  pure  white  lily,  almost  the  last  object  upon 
which  she  bestowed  a  look  or  caress,  rested  on  her  bosom 
as  she  lay  in  a  reclining  posture  in  a  large  armchair.  But 
the  scent  of  her  favorite  flowers,  or  the  touch  of  soft 
winds  from  the  cool  forest  shade,  failed  to  quicken  the 
senses  already  dimmed  by  the  leaden  shades  of  death. 

The  heartbroken  mother  and  little  brothers,  wild  with 
grief,  gathered  around,  and  their  cries  and  sobs  went  out 
across  the  green  meadows,  beyond  the  limits  of  that  blood- 
cursed  town.  "0  God  of  mercy,"  cried  the  elder  brother, 
"Must  sister  die,  too?  My  sweet,  sweet  sister!" 

The  stricken  family,  with  Major  Weldon  and  the  few 
friends  that  stood  by,  sank  upon  the  floor  by  the  martyr's 


306  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

side,  and  in  the  mute  eloquence  of  woe  prayed  God  to 
spare  her  precious  life. 

Among  the  mourners  gathered  there  none  were  more 
deeply  moved  than  the  negroes  about  the  place.  Many 
of  these  had  watched  the  growth  of  this  bright  being  from 
a  child,  and  had  learned  to  love  her  with  an  unselfish 
devotion.  They,  too,  gathered  in  large  numbers  as  they 
had  done  at  the  deathbed  of  Judge  Clinton,  and  their  tears 
were  mingled  with  those  of  the  family  and  friends. 

At  2  o'clock  Carolena's  spirit  took  its  flight,  and  there, 
within  the  charnel  house  where  the  victims  were  offered 
up,  lay  the  mangled  corpse  of  this  pure  and  innocent  girl, 
with  the  dark  blue  marks  left  by  blows  from  the  assassin's 
hand  still  visible  upon  her  fair  face  and  brow,  now  calmly 
composed  in  death.  Had  an  angel  from  heaven  lain  sleep- 
ing by  her  side  its  loveliness  would  have  been  eclipsed  by 
the  surpassing  beauty  of  that  dead  girl. 

Thus  ended  the  career  of  a  family  whose  only  rule  of 
law  in  the  domestic  circle  was  that  of  love;  and  whose 
worst  offense  against  their  fellows  was  the  exercise  of  an 
honest  conviction  which  the  Constitution  of  our  country 
guarantees  to  its  humblest  citizen. 

Carolena,  at  once  a  martyr  to  a  God-like  filial  affection, 
and  a  victim  of  savage  outlawry,  the  eldest  of  the  children 
and  the  brightest  jewel  of  the  household,  was  her  mother's 
hope  and  joy,  and  her  father's  especial  pet  and  idol. 
Happy  and  vivacious,  tender,  true  and  faithful  to  every 
kindly  impulse,  her  heart  was  large  enough  to  include  in 
its  tender  embrace  all  that  is  lovely  in  this  world.  Pos- 
sessed of  superior  intelligence,  her  character  was  graced 
with  a  purity  that  gave  her  an  elevated  place  in  the  scale 
of  young  and  useful  womanhood  into  which  she  was  just 
entering,  and  her  untimely  and  terrible  death  became  a 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  307 

wound  in  the  hearts  of  those  who  knew  her,  and  a  stain 
upon  the  fair  escutcheon  of  our  country,  which  time  will 
be  slow  to  heal.  ******* 

Looking  out  from  the  Clinton  cottage  a  few  weeks  later, 
all  seems  as  peaceful  and  still  as  when  the  curtain  first 
lifted  upon  this  lamentable  drama.  Through  an  open 
vista  in  the  luxuriant  foliage  of  the  forest  trees  the 
waters  of  the  bay  are  still  seen  glistening  idly  in  the  sun. 
Anon  a  white  sail  passes  silently  in  panoramic  view  over 
the  smooth  surface  of  the  water,  to  be  followed  by  a  mer- 
chant steamer,  rushing  across  the  angle  of  vision  like 
some  deep-sea  monster  in  pursuit  of  his  prey;  recalling 
the  world  and  its  busy  commerce,  that  takes  little  heed  of 
sorrow,  disappointment  and  death.  The  flowers,  more 
beautiful  now  than  before,  have  reached  their  meridian 
in  the  glories  of  a  Southern  spring,  and  clothed  the  mead- 
ows and  hillsides  in  robes  of  ever-changing  beauty. 

From  this  enchanting  scene  we  turn  to  look  once  more 
upon  the  stage,  ablaze  with  incandescent  lights  and  decked 
with  all  the  gaudy  trappings  that  lure  the  unwary  and 
deceive  the  eye.  The  characters  that  have  appealed  so 
long  to  that  kinship  that  humanity  finds  in  grief  are  no 
longer  there.  They  have  made  their  exit,  gone  behind  the 
wings,  and  passed  from  sight;  and  now  in  mercy  let  the 
curtain  fall,  shutting  out  from  the  bewildered  gaze  this 
melancholy  picture  of  the  "Days  of  Reconstruction." 

In  compliance  with  the  promise  he  had  made  at  the 
deathbed  Major  Weldon  remained  at  the  Clinton  cot- 
tage, for  the  purpose  of  gathering  the  data  for  the  above 
narrated  facts.  A  number  of  letters  had  already  appeared 
in  the  newspapers  of  the  country  written  from  Kendall, 
detailing  the  events  of  the  tragedy;  the  authorship  of 
which,  in  the  minds  of  the  clans,  had  been  fastened  upon 


3o8  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Major  Weldon,  and  threats  of  vengeance  were  now  being 
hurled  at  his  devoted  head. 

Finally,  as  his  labors  were  drawing  to  a  close,  the  Major 
was  aroused  from  his  slumber  one  night  by  a  negro  woman 
at  the  door  (a  former  servant  of  the  Clintons),  who  had 
just  come  across  the  country  from  the  home  of  one  of  the 
clans,  where  a  secret  meeting  had  been  held  in  which  she 
had  overheard  them  discussing  plans  for  his  "removal," 
upon  which  question  a  vote  was  finally  taken,  and  by 
unanimous  voice  they  had  decided  to  put  their  plans  into 
execution  that  night. 

The  story  seemed  plausible,  and  if  true,  matters  were 
grave  enough.  The  woman  was  questioned  closely  as  to 
the  source  of  her  information,  and  her  answers  were  so 
direct  and  the  alleged  facts  so  convincing  that  the  Major, 
after  a  consultation  with  his  friends,  decided  to  leave  the 
country  at  once.  As  facts  developed,  he  was  none  too 
soon.  The  woman,  it  seems,  had  only  been  mistaken  as  to 
the  time  the  contemplated  "visit"  was  to  have  been  made; 
for  on  the  night  following  the  rooms  that  had  been  oc- 
cupied by  Major  "Weldon  were  surrounded  and  placed 
under  the  surveillance  of  an  armed  posse  of  the  des- 
peradoes. 

In  accordance  with  these  facts,  under  cover  of  the 
night  he  struck  out  through  the  timber  for  the  nearest 
sidetrack.  This  was  fifteen  miles  distant,  and,  thoroughly 
mounted,  he  was  able  to  reach  the  station  about  daylight. 
After  turning  the  horse  loose  to  find  its  way  back  with 
empty  saddle,  the  Major  remained  secreted  in  the  brush 
on  the  "blind"  side  of  the  track  until  the  train  pulled  out, 
when  he  ran  from  his  cover,  and,  jumping  onto  the  plat- 
form, bade  farewell  to  scenes  that  had  cost  him  dearly, 
casting  a  shadow  over  his  future  life. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  309 

On  business  connected  with  the  Department  of  Justice, 
the  writer,  soon  after  the  above  occurrences,  was  called  to 
Washington,  D.  C.  A  series  of  years  spent  in  the  South- 
ern States  had  made  him  more  or  less  familiar  with  the 
processes  with  which  it  was  believed  the  lately  enfran- 
chised negro  was  being  deprived  of  the  rights  now  guaran- 
teed him  under  the  Constitution,  and  such  information 
being  eagerly  sought  by  men  most  prominent  in  political 
affairs,  the  writer  was  brought  in  contact  with  public 
men  and  in  time  was  enabled  to  see  a  good  deal  of 

LIFE  AT  THE  NATION'S  CAPITAL. 

Through  acquaintances  thus  formed  I  was  first  given 
employment  with  the  Eepublican  Congressional  Commit- 
tee, a  political  organization  maintained  in  Washington 
for  the  purpose  of  forwarding  the  election  of  members  of 
Congress  in  the  doubtful  or  close  Congressional  Districts; 
and  to  that  end  a  regular  bureau  of  information  is  main- 
tained throughout  each  Congressional  year.  George  C. 
Gorham  was  then  Secretary  of  the  United  States  Senate 
and  also  Secretary  of  the  Congressional  Committee,  as 
indeed  he  was  its  leading  spirit.  Eugene  Hale,  then  mem- 
ber of  Congress  from  Maine,  was  the  presiding  genius 
under  the  title  of  chairman.  In  these  rooms  consultations 
by  the  party  leaders  were  often  held,  and  matters  pertain- 
ing to  the  campaign  in  the  various  districts  discussed. 

Around  every  political  headquarters  there  are  to  be 
found  a  large  number  of  "hangers  on,"  usually  distinguish- 
able by  their  unwashed  linen.  They  are  generally  self- 
sacrificing  souls  and  more  than  willing  to  devote  their 
time  and  talent  to  the  forwarding  of  almost  any  great  and 
glorious  "cause."  This  "talent"  is  often  chimerical,  exist- 


3io  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

ing  only  in  the  minds  of  the  would-be  patriots.  These 
individuals  always  seem  to  have  a  claim — real  or  imagin- 
ary— for  services  rendered  or  soon  to  he  rendered,  either 
by  themselves  or  through  their  influence,  or  they  lean 
wearily  upon  the  tomb  of  some  ancestor  whose  good  name 
is  expected  to  add  strength  to  their  claims  and  bring  them 
a  doubtful  and  precarious  support.  So  they  wait  patiently 
in  anticipation  of  the  crumbs  to  fall,  though  these  take  no 
more  substantial  form  than  an  occasional  refreshing  drink. 

While  in  the  committee  rooms  I  was  presented  one  day 
to  a  gentleman  of  commanding  figure  clad  in  rusty  gar- 
ments of  a  fashionable  cut,  whom  I  had  often  seen  about 
the  rooms,  and  was  surprised  to  learn  the  introduction 
had  made  me  acquainted  with  the  son  of  an  ex-President, 
John  Tyler,  Junior.  To  a  casual  observer  he  had  the  ap- 
pearance of  a  gentleman,  but  his  features  revealed  in 
strong  light  the  brutalizing  effects  of  the  whiskey  habit. 

Calling  me  into  a  side  room  we  took  seats  on  a  couch, 
when,  after  a  few  introductory  remarks,  he  went  directly 
to  the  subject  doubtless  uppermost  in  his  mind,  and  said: 
"In  the  whole  course  of  my  life  I  have  never  met  a 
person  that  pleased  me  on  short  acquaintance  as  I  have 
been  pleased  with  you."  Ordinarily,  one  passes  over  such 
a  remark  as  the  extreme  of  fulsome  flattery,  and  allows  it 
to  pass  without  further  thought;  but  now  I  wondered 
what  compensation  would  be  required  for  this  extraordi- 
nary effusiveness.  The  query  was  soon  answered.  After  a 
brief  pause  he  broke  in  with:  "Say,  can't  you  give  me  a 
dime?  I  haven't  had  but  one  drink  to-day." 

We  often  hear  it  said  that  sons  of  eminent  men  seldom 
rise  to  the  intellectual  standard  of  their  fathers.  Strik- 
ing proofs  of  this  are  frequently  found  in  Washington, 
that  place  of  all  others  for  the  congregation  of  great 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  311 

soldiers,  statesmen  and  scholars;  and  where,  also,  we  see 
such  men  as  Orvil  Grant,  the  son  of  a  respected  citizen, 
the  brother  of  our  greatest  General  and  one  of  the  most 
eminent  of  our  Presidents,  plodding  the  streets,  unkempt 
and  in  seedy  garments,  with  bare  toes  exuding  from  his 
worn-out  shoes.  The  son  of  General  Butler,  although  a 
man  of  rare  talent,  having  the  advantage  of  a  fine  educa- 
tion, and  the  example  of  an  illustrious  father,  was  little 
better  respected  than  John  Tyler,  Junior. 

In  controversion  of  these,  however,  we  find  that  John 
Quincy  Adams,  as  President,  gave  the  country  an  abler  and 
more  satisfactory  administration  than  his  illustrious 
father;  and  Eobert  T.  Lincoln  has  displayed  ability  as  a 
diplomat  and  financier.  General  Frederick  D.  Grant  holds 
high  rank  in  the  United  States  army;  and  the  sons  of 
President  Garfield  have  risen  to  distinction  in  political 
and  private  life,  and  now  enjoy  an  enviable  prominence 
among  their  fellow  men.  But  how  much  the  eminence 
and  success  of  the  distinguished  characters  above  referred 
to  is  owing  to  the  great  names  which  they  inherit  is  not 
so  clearly  defined. 

The  Congressional  elections  over,  the  committee  rooms 
were  closed  and  the  next  situation  was  found  in  the  service 
of  the  War  Department.  This  is  to  be  enlisted  as  a  clerk, 
and  in  lieu  of  the  $13  a  month,  the  regular  pay  of  a  soldier, 
the  enlisted  man  receives  commutation  for  rations  and 
clothing  amounting  in  the  aggregate  to  a  salary  of  $85  a 
month.  This  being  drawn  in  three  different  places — the 
Commissary,  Quartermaster's  and  Adjutant  General's  De- 
partments— three  distinct  payrolls  have  to  be  made  out 
and  signed.  There  are  no  army  restrictions  placed  upon 
an  employee  of  this  kind;  one  is  enrolled  to  serve  during 
good  behavior  and  can  resign  at  any  time. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

A  subordinate  position  in  this  office,  however,  is  more 
irksome  than  the  life  of  a  private  soldier  in  the  Regular 
Army,  for  it  is  sought  here  also  to  keep  up  a  marked  dis- 
tinction in  rank.  Many  of  the  older  employees  of  the 
Adjutant  General's  Office  are  men  who  have  served  one 
or  more  terms  of  enlistment  as  private  soldiers,  and  when 
discharged  from  the  army  have  obtained  clerkships  or 
positions  more  desirable  in  the  general  service.  Having 
a  long  acquaintance  with  the  class  of  records  to  be  handled 
here,  they  may  in  time  be  advanced  to  become  executive- 
chief  of  a  room  or  a  division,  and  there  it  is  sought  to  en- 
force that  discipline  and  self  abasement  to  which  they 
were  subjected  while  in  the  military  service  proper.  Every 
clerk,  however  exalted  his  position,  is  liable  to  the  caprice 
of  someone  in  a  grade  just  above  him,  and  the  man  whose 
business  it  may  be  to  sweep  and  dust  the  rooms  lords  it 
over  the  one  who  empties  and  cleans  the  spittoons. 

This  is  a  rule  that  obtains  more  or  less  in  all  of  the 
Government  departments.  Almost  every  employee  owes 
his  position  to  someone  higher  in  authority;  and,  strange 
as  it  may  seem,  even  under  Civil  Service  rules  that  prac- 
tice obtains  very  largely  to-day,  and  this  fact  itself  makes 
the  position  of  the  average  clerk  a  precarious  and  irksome 
one.  Standing  as  he  does  in  constant  dread  of  the  time 
to  come  when,  walking  into  his  office  some  fine  morning 
he  finds  the  "yellow  envelope"  lying  on  his  desk  contain- 
ing his  final  discharge,  and  that  without  a  reason  being 
given  therefor,  the  clerk  soon  loses  that  spirit  of  inde- 
pendent manhood  essential  to  the  highest  order  of  citizen- 
ship. 

But  for  him  who  becomes  expert  in  some  special  line, 
or  who  has  talent  or  attractiveness  of  a  social  or  literary 
character — and  in  the  departments  at  Washington  there 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  313 

are  many  accomplished  men  and  women — he  may  feel 
a  little  more  secure  in  his  place,  and  the  one  in  authority 
to  whom  he  owes  his  appointment  may  introduce  him  into 
almost  any  social  circle  to  which  he  himself  has  access. 
So  it  is  frequently  at  private  receptions  honored  with  the 
presence  of  many  distinguished  men  and  women  the  ques- 
tion goes  round  in  bated  breath:  "Who  is  this  lady  (or 
gentleman)  that  sings  or  performs  so  elegantly?"  And 

the  answer  is  returned:  "Why  that  is  Miss  (or  Mr.) 

of  the  Treasury  Department."  A  clerk  in  the  employ  of 
the  Government  it  may  be,  working  for  a  small  salary  and 
living  in  comparative  seclusion  in  a  cheap  boarding  house. 
Out  of  the  vast  number  of  employees  it  is  not  surprising 
that  marked  ability  is  sometimes  discovered.  Mr.  Cortel- 
you,  now  Secretary  of  the  Treasury,  thirty  years  ago  was  a 
$1,200  clerk  in  the  State  Department. 

The  general  information  one  gains  by  a  prolonged  stay 
in  Washington,  if  qualified  to  properly  assimilate,  may  be 
of  greater  practical  value  in  after  years  than  the  stilted 
instructions  received  within  the  narrow  walls  of  a  school- 
house  or  academy.  Here  a  young  man  is  constantly  sur- 
rounded with  those  influences  best  calculated  to  arouse 
within  him  a  just  pride  of  country,  and  a  realizing  sense 
of  the  worth  of  good  citizenship.  One  meets  here  the 
brightest  and  foremost  of  our  own  people  and  those  of 
foreign  countries.  These  soon  become  familiar  figures  on 
the  streets  and  in  the  lobbies  and  galleries,  and  they  are 
often  seen  and  heard  in  public  places.  Of  course  the  evil 
influences  of  a  gay  capital  are  present,  but  they  are  also 
felt  in  less  pretentious  communities  and  in  every  walk  of 
life. 

In  order  to  forward  my  own  prospects  I  now  resolved 
to  call  upon  General  Butler,  who,  as  stated  elsewhere,  I 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

first  met  while  he  was  in  command  at  Fortress  Monroe 
and  I  an  escaped  prisoner  from  Richmond.  It  was  hardly 
expected  General  Butler  would  recognize  and  remember 
me  after  so  many  years  and  on  so  slight  an  acquaintance, 
and  some  misgivings  were  entertained  as  to  the  treatment 
I  might  receive  at  his  hands.  This  more  especially  as  the 
interview  was  sought  for  the  purpose  of  asking  a  favor. 
To  a  stranger  or  casual  observer  General  Butler's  appear- 
ance was  not  inviting.  But  I  had  known  his  son-in-law 
and  daughter  (General  and  Mrs.  Ames)  while  the  former 
was  provisional  Governor  of  one  of  the  seceding  States, 
and  these  facts  gave  me  greater  courage  to  undertake  an 
interview  with  the  General. 

Accordingly,  bracing  myself  for  a  supreme  effort,  I  sent 
in  my  card.  To  see  General  Butler  in  his  law  office  on 
Capitol  Hill  at  the  time  one  must  wait  as  visitors  now 
have  to  do  before  obtaining  an  interview  with  the  Presi- 
dent; but  after  remaining  in  the  ante-room  some  time  I 
was  finally  ushered  into  the  august  presence.  I  had  already 
prepared  a  little  speech,  expecting  to  deliver  it  at  once  on 
reaching  the  audience  chamber,,  and  began  by  stating  that 
in  all  probability  he  would  not  remember  me;  that  I  had 
first  met  him  at  his  headquarters  with  other  escaped  pris- 
oners from  Richmond  the  winter  of  1863.  In  answer,  and 
before  I  had  fairly  concluded  my  speech,  the  General  spoke 
up  and  said:  frWhy,  Captain,  I  remember  you  very  well 
on  that  occasion ;  you  came  in  with  Hobart  and  McCreary. 
I  have  heard  of  your  connection  with  General  Ames  in 
the  South ;  please  be  seated  and  tell  me  what  I  can  do  for 
you." 

This  was  a  cordiality  unlocked  for,  and  I  was  more 
embarrassed  than  would  have  been  the  case  had  he  treated 
me  with  greater  brusqueness.  After  making  my  wishes 


HEADQUARTERS 

RATIONAL  QOMMIJJEE, 


No.  242   FIFTH  AVENUE, 

FLrYort  City,  A<W,- 

i  /  // 


1  884. 


. 

C      *"*-+- 


IXVITATION  FROM  THE  REPUBLICAN  NATIONAL  COMMITTEE  TO 
SPEAK  IN  THE  CAMPAIGN  OF  1884. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  315 

known,  without  further  explanation  being  required,  he 
called  in  his  stenographer  and  in  my  presence  dictated  a 
strong  letter  advocating  my  claims.  That  letter  aided  me 
materially  in  obtaining  what  I  then  most  desired — a  more 
lucrative  position  in  the  United  States  Treasury. 

A  statement  of  this  occurrence  seems  chiefly  valuable  as 
an  evidence  of  General  Butler's  regard  for  the  Union 
soldier,  as  well  as  his  goodness  of  heart,  and  it  affords 
a  striking  illustration  of  a  wonderfully  retentive  memory. 

In  the  United  States  Treasury  I  served  through  a  great 
portion  of  two  administrations  under  Secretaries  Sherman 
and  Windom,  and  in  the  Presidential  years,  though  still 
under  pay  of  the  department,  was  given  leave  of  absence 
for  the  purpose  of  entering  the  field  as  a  campaigner  under 
the  auspices  of  the  Republican  National  Committee.  The 
last  service  of  this  character  is  indicated  by  a  facsimile 
of  the  letter  of  invitation  from  the  committee  found  on 
another  page. 

During  the  Civil  War  and  for  many  years  thereafter  the 
United  States  Senate  was  looked  upon  as  the  great  chro- 
nometer balance  to  keep  the  Government  on  an  even  keel. 
Any  mistakes  in  the  form  of  legislation  that  may  have 
emanated  from  the  Lower  House  of  Congress  the  Upper 
House  could  be  relied  upon  to  check  and  counteract.  In- 
deed, having  had,  as  a  rule,  their  first  legislative  training 
in  that  body,  who  better  prepared  than  the  Senate  to  meet 
the  vagaries  of  the  House  of  Representatives.  But  the 
great  names  that  most  adorned  the  Senate  in  the  past- 
standing  as  they  did  for  everything  admirable  in  states- 
manship and  patriotic  fidelity — by  the  hand  of  death  have 
been  stricken  from  the  rolls.  Sumner,  Sherman,  Morton, 
Edmunds,  Zach  Chandler,  Blaine,  Conklin  and  others 
equally  talented,  though  perhaps  not  so  widely  known,  seem 


3i 6  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

to  have  been  raised  up  for  that  period  in  the  nation's 
history  of  which  their  life-work  forms  so  conspicuous  a 
part.  In  erudition,  in  eloquence  and  in  virtue  the  Amer- 
ican Senate  in  those  days,  like  that  of  Rome  in  the  reign 
of  the  CaBsars,  was  justly  entitled  to  the  distinction  it  bore 
of  the 

"GREAT  FORUM." 

That  the  esteem  and  confidence  in  which  that  body  was 
then  held  by  the  people  no  longer  exists  cannot  well  be 
denied,  and  it  is  doubtful,  even  though  the  exigencies 
should  again  arise,  as  in  the  war  period,  whether  the  degree 
of  excellence  exhibited  by  the  men  whose  names  are  above 
written  would  again  be  found. 

That  corporate  greed,  political  ambition  and  self- 
aggrandizement  are  influencing  the  deliberations  of  that 
once  incorruptible  body  there  is  no  longer  a  doubt  existing. 
The  few  men  in  public  life  who  have  ability  and  integrity 
so  far  are  unable  to  leaven  the  mass  of  corruption  stalking 
abroad  in  the  lobbies,  corridors  and  committee  rooms  of 
our  legislative  halls,  and  the  people  are  fast  losing  faith 
in  their  own  representatives.  That  this  distrust  is  to  con- 
tinue indefinitely  is  hardly  to  be  believed,  for  there  is  as 
much  good  in  the  world  to-day  as  ever  before,  and  already 
there  are  influences  working  in  high  places  and  among 
the  people  that  are  more  than  likely  in  the  end  to  purge 
the  political  atmosphere  of  the  miasmatic  germs  with 
which  it  is  now  fetid. 

Among  the  prominent  men  whom  it  was  the  good  for- 
tune of  the  narrator  to  know  in  the  period  above  spoken 
of  was  the  Honorable  William  E.  Chandler,  at  the  time  a 
member  of  Congress  from  New  Hampshire,  and  a  strong 
personal  friend  of  Mr.  Elaine,  who  was  then  a  Senator 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  317 

from  the  State  of  Maine.  Now,  Mr.  Elaine  being  the  most 
aggressive  of  the  Eepublican  leaders  touching  matters  per- 
taining to  Southern  politics,  had  given  notice  on  the  first 
day  of  the  Senate  session  of  that  year  that  on  a  certain 
day  following  he  would  introduce  a  resolution  of  inquiry 
as  to  the  conduct  of  the  elections  held  that  fall  in  the 
States  of  Louisiana,  Mississippi  and  South  Carolina,  where 
fraud  and  intimidation  were  alleged  to  have  been  com- 
mitted at  the  polls. 

A  resolution  of  this  character  was  calculated  to  arouse 
sectional  feeling  to  a  white  heat,  and  that  a  very  lively 
and  acrimonious  debate  would  follow  its  introduction  there 
was  no  doubt,  and  Mr.  Chandler  was  of  the  opinion  that 
an  interview  by  Mr.  Elaine,  who  would  likely  take  the 
lead  on  the  Eepublican  side  in  defense  of  his  resolution, 
with  someone  qualified  to  speak  from  personal  observation 
touching  the  question  at  issue  would  be  of  great  assistance 
to  him  in  fortifying  himself  for  the  debate  soon  to  follow. 
Accordingly,  two  or  three  appointments  were  made  for 
such  an  interview  with  the  writer,  but  the  pressure  of 
more  important  engagements  made  it  impossible  for  Mr. 
Elaine  to  spare  the  time  for  such  a  meeting. 

But  when  the  appointed  day  for  the  introduction  of 
the  resolution  arrived  Mr.  Chandler,  still  in  hopes  of  a 
brief  interview,  walked  with  the  writer  to  the  Senate 
Chamber,  where,  on  invitation  of  Mr.  Elaine,  we  were 
admitted  to  the  cloakroom.  The  aisles,  lobbies  and  cor- 
ridors of  the  Capitol  were  already  crowded  to  overflowing 
with  people  anxiously  awaiting  the  galleries  to  be  thrown 
open,  in  order  that  seats  might  be  obtained  the  better  to 
catch  the  first  bugle  note  in  the  contest  of  intellectual 
giants  likely  soon  to  take  place. 

The  hour  for  the  Senate  to  come  to  order  finally  arrived, 


3i8  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

and  as  the  presiding  officer's  gavel  descended  Mr.  Blaine 
hurriedly  came  to  the  door  of  the  cloakroom  to  apologize 
for  his  inability  to  give  us  any  time,  as  he  expected  to  take 
the  floor  in  a  few  minutes.  But,  indicating  by  a  wave  of 
his  hand  a  large  upholstered  chair  on  the  floor  of  the 
Senate,  he  said  to  me:  "Won't  you  have  a  seat  and  re- 
main through  the  debate?"  Meantime,  as  I  was  later 
informed,  Mr.  Blaine  had  received  five  hundred  cards  from 
outside  parties  who  believed  they  had  something  of  interest 
for  him  to  consider  before  entering  the  arena.  I  quickly 
accepted  the  proffered  seat  and  the  honor  it  signified,  and 
there  remained  fascinated  until  the  Senate  adjourned 
about  four  or  five  hours  later.  The  galleries,  both  foreign 
and  domestic,  by  this  time  were  filled  to  the  limit  of  their 
capacity,  and  hundreds  of  people  were  still  in  the  aisles 
and  lobbies,  when,  as  soon  as  order  was  restored  and  the 
minutes  of  the  preceding  day  had  been  disposed  of,  Mr. 
Blaine  arose  and  sent  up  his  resolution,  and,  after  hearing 
it  read,  moved  its  adoption.  Then  from  a  prepared  manu- 
script read  a  short  and  conservative  speech  advocating  the 
adoption  of  the  resolution. 

This  was  an  unusual  course  for  Mr.  Blaine,  and  every- 
body seemed  disappointed,  even  the  Democrats,  who  were 
on  tiptoe  of  anticipation  and  ready  for  the  combat.  Mr. 
Blaine  then  took  his  seat,  when  three  or  four  Southern 
Senators  sprang  to  their  feet,  and  Mr.  Lamar,  of  Missis- 
sippi, was  awarded  the  floor.  The  debate  was  now  on  and 
the  very  air  seemed  to  emit  electrical  sparks,  the  feeling 
was  so  intense,  and  (must  I  add),  in  some  quarters,  bitter. 

Mr.  Lamar  made  an  impassioned  speech  in  defense  of 
his  State  and  the  position  occupied  by  the  South  relative 
to  the  political  status  of  the  negro  under  the  new  order  of 
things.  The  Senate  chamber  was  now  like  an  arena,  the 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  319 

contest  being  waged  along  intellectual  lines.  So  far  as  the 
Republican  side  was  concerned  the  entire  combat  was 
left  to  that  most  eminent  of  all  gladiators,  the  Honorable 
James  G.  Elaine,  and  no  other  Republican  Senator  tilted 
a  lance  in  the  debate  that  followed. 

Mr.  Lamar  had  no  sooner  sat  down  than  Mr.  Elaine 
arose  and  answered  him  point  by  point.  Three  Demo- 
cratic Senators  made  speeches  that  day,  to  which  Mr. 
Elaine  replied;  and,  leaving  his  seat,  he  walked  down  the 
aisles  and  confronted  his  antagonists  face  to  face,  his  whole 
body  meantime  apparently  aflame  with  inspired  eloquence. 
The  words  flew  from  his  lips  like  bullets  from  a  gatling 
gun,  and  every  word  seemed  especially  coined  for  the  pur- 
pose to  which  it  was  put.  The  facts  and  figures  he  pre- 
sented, and  the  historical  and  other  data  with  which  he 
verified  his  statements  and  supported  the  reasoning  he  put 
forth  afforded  an  exhibition  of  forensic  oratory  seldom  if 
ever  before  witnessed  in  the  Senate  chamber. 

We  now  come  to  a  scene  in  the  other  branch  of  Congress 
that  took  place  when,  out  of  "general  parliamentary  law," 

CZARISM  WAS  EVOLVED. 

Legislation  deemed  to  be  of  great  importance  by  Repub- 
licans, and  which  the  Democrats  were  equally  anxious  to 
defeat,  was  pending  in  the  House,  with  Speaker  Reed  in 
the  chair,  when  the  following  colloquy  took  place  between* 
the  Speaker  and  Mr.  Springer,  of  Illinois. 

Mr.  Springer :  "Mr.  Speaker,  I  move  that  the  House  do 
now  adjourn." 

The  Speaker :  "The  Chair  decides  the  motion  to  adjourn 
to  be  not  in  order." 

Mr.  Springer:  "From  the  decision  of  the  Chair  I  ap- 
peal" 


320 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


The  Speaker :  "The  Chair  declines  to  entertain  the  ap- 
peal/' 

Mr.  Springer:  "When  will  a  motion  to  adjourn  be  in 
order?" 

The  Speaker:    "At  the  proper  time." 

It  is  noteworthy  that  at  the  close  of  that  momentous 
sitting  the  House  adjourned  on  Mr.  Springer's  motion. 
But  the  lucidity  couched  in  the  Speaker's  last  response  in 
the  above  colloquy  is  almost  sublime. 

It  would  seem  impossible  by  any  ordinary  process  of 
parliamentary  practice  to  circumvent  a  doggedness  of  the 
character  indicated  by  Mr.  Reed's  replies  as  given  in  the 
above.  A  monosyllable  escaping  from  his  lips  or  the  sound 
of  his  descending  gavel  apparently  being  the  only  explana- 
tion required  on  the  part  of  the  Speaker  for  hasty  decisions 
where  grave  and  important  legislation  is  pending.  That 
so  much  power  should  be  vested  in  one  man  by  a  delibera- 
tive body  appears  to  the  uninitiated  a  very  strange  thing, 
and  when  measured  by  the  American  standard  of  govern- 
ment by  the  people,  such  a  course  seems  wholly  incon- 
sistent. But  at  the  same  time  a  sovereign  citizen  sitting 
in  the  House  galleries  for  a  time,  watching  the  movements 
of  that  august  body,  soon  becomes  convinced  that  some 
power  should  be  invoked  to  shut  off  debate  and  end  the 
bickering  motions  and  countermotions  that  often  delay  and 
sometimes  defeat  important  legislation,  if  they  do  not 
block  outright  the  wheels  of  government. 

But  of  the  marked  events  in  life  at  the  capital  the  most 
noteworthy  and  longest  to  be  remembered  was  the 

ASSASSINATION  OF  PRESIDENT  GARFIELD. 

For  reasons  not  difficult  to  explain  Mr.  Garfield's  death 
moved  the  people  of  the  capital  city  more  profoundly  than 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  321 

that  of  any  like  calamity.  The  assassination  of  Mr.  Lincoln 
was  the  outgrowth  and  culmination  of  a  civil  war  unpar- 
alleled in  its  bitterness,  and  the  bloodiest  of  ancient  or 
modern  times.  The  public  had  long  been  accustomed  to 
angry  strife  and  deeds  of  violence,  and  Lincoln,  already  an 
old  man,  had  well-nigh  rounded  out  the  crowning  work 
of  his  life.  Besides,  it  has  been  thought  by  many  that, 
had  he  lived  longer,  his  great  conservatism  and  kindness 
of  heart  would  have  led  him  into  public  acts  of  such  a 
conciliatory  nature  that  the  more  radical  element  of  the 
Northern  States  would  have  been  slow  to  endorse,  if  they 
did  not  condemn  outright.  It  in  no  way  detracts  from 
the  exalted  place  which  his  memory  holds  in  the  hearts 
of  the  American  people  to  say  the  day  of  Mr.  Lincoln's 
greatest  usefulness  in  all  probability  had  passed,  and  as 
time  advances  the  benefits  of  his  life-work  are  more  clearly 
defined. 

But  it  seems  to  be  so  ordered  in  the  conduct  of  human 
affairs  that  the  men  whose  acts  have  been  most  potent  in 
inaugurating  reforms  and  bringing  blessings  upon  their 
fellow-men  seldom  live  to  enjoy  the  benefits  of  their  labors. 

President  McKinley,  while  beloved  for  his  exemplary 
character  and  evenly  balanced  temperament,  died  in  a 
distant  city,  and  the  people  in  Washington  at  least  did  not 
feel  his  death  so  keenly,  while  as  Chief  Magistrate  his 
record  has  been  somewhat  eclipsed  by  the  virile  and  bril- 
liant national  administration  immediately  following. 

But  President  Garfield,  in  the  prime  of  mature  man- 
hood, had  just  entered  upon  his  Executive  career  when  his 
life  was  cut  short  in  broad  daylight  in  a  public  place  by 
the  assassin's  bullet.  While  with  the  masses  he  could  not 
have  been  considered  at  the  time  a  popular  President — 
there  being  much  dissension  in  the  party  that  elected  him 


322  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

— the  courage,  patience  and  fortitude  he  displayed  after 
having  been  shot  and  wounded  unto  death,  won  the  sym- 
pathy and  admiration  of  the  people  everywhere,  and  his 
untimely  taking  off  was  as  much  lamented  by  his  country- 
men as  that  of  any  of  the  great  men  whose  names  are  now 
a  cherished  memory. 

In  Washington,  where  the  people  are  in  close  touch  with 
the  leading  men  of  an  administration,  from  the  President 
down,  an  opportunity  is  given  to  judge  of  their  characters, 
and  often  it  happens  their  private  lives  are  laid  bare  to 
critical  inspection. 

It  was  the  good  fortune  of  the  writer  to  have  known 
intimately  Dr.  D.  W.  Bliss,  an  ex-volunteer  army  surgeon 
and  an  eminent  practitioner  of  Washington,  who  was  the 
leading  physician  in  charge  of  President  Garfield's  case 
and  was  his  constant  nurse  and  attendant  until  death  came 
to  the  relief  of  the  sufferer.  Dr.  Bliss,  a  large  and  power- 
ful man,  in  the  hundred  days  of  unremitting  service  at  the 
bedside  of  the  distinguished  patient  himself  lost  forty-five 
pounds  in  weight.  That  the  President's  strength  was  main- 
tained and  his  life  prolonged  for  many  days  through  the 
vitality  of  this  strong  and  determined  man  there  is  no 
question  of  doubt. 

The  writer  chanced  to  be  on  Pennsylvania  Avenue  the 
morning  of  July  3d,  1881,  where  he  met  Dr.  Bliss  going 
toward  the  Sixth  Street  depot.  A  few  moments  later  the 
two  shots  rang  out  that  struck  the  President  down.  To 
learn  the  occasion  of  the  shots  I  turned  and  walked 
leisurely  back,  but  soon  the  report  ran  along  the  avenue 
like  an  electric  current  that  the  President  had  been  shot. 
Hurrying  on  to  the  station,  a  large  crowd  had  already 
assembled,  and  threats  of  "Lynch  him !  Hang  him !"  were 
heard  on  every  hand,  but  the  assassin  had  already  been 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  323 

spirited  away  under  a  heavy  guard.  At  this  time  a  light 
two-horse  express  wagon  was  called,  into  which  the  Presi- 
dent was  carried  from  the  station  and  laid  on  the  bottom, 
Dr.  Bliss  sitting  down  and  holding  his  head.  In  this  posi- 
tion they  were  driven  to  the  White  House. 

Diabolical  as  this  assassination  was,  the  case  affords  a 
very  strong  argument  against  the  meting  out  of  unlawful 
or  summary  vengeance.  There  was  at  this  time  two  fac- 
tions in  the  Eepublican  party  between  which  a  bitter  feud 
existed— the  Regulars  or  "Stalwarts,"  and  the  "Mug- 
wumps," a  faction  that  claimed  to  be  seeking  the  purifica- 
tion of  the  party  and  the  reform  of  existing  evils.  The 
former  was  headed  by  Senator  Conkling,  of  New  York, 
who  led  a  forlorn  hope  in  the  Chicago  Convention  the  year 
before  to  have  General  Grant  nominated  to  the  Presidency 
for  a  third  term.  This  was  the  issue  that  opened  wide 
the  breach  already  existing  between  the  two  wings  of  the 
party.  Of  course,  General  Grant  was  defeated  and  Mr. 
Garfield  was  nominated.  Although  the  latter  could  not 
possibly  have  been  elected  without  the  united  support  of 
both  wings  of  the  party,  it  was  thought  Mr.  Garfield's 
administration  in  its  political  preferments  was  being  run 
largely  in  the  interests  of  the  Mugwumps  and  adversely 
to  Mr.  Conkling  and  the  Stalwarts,  and  noticeably  so  in 
his  selection  of  Federal  officers  in  the  State  of  New  York, 
he  having  already  appointed  a  collector  of  the  port  of  New 
York  especially  obnoxious  to  Mr.  Conkling.  Besides,  he 
had  chosen  Mr.  Blaine  as  his  chief  secretary  and  adviser, 
between  whom  and  Mr.  Conkling  there  was  the  bitterest 
antagonism.  So  when  Mr.  Garfield  was  suddenly  stricken 
down  by  an  assassin's  bullet  the  suspicion  was  aroused  and 
the  whisper  ran  around  that  Senator  Conkling,  and  pos- 
sibly ex-President  Grant — whom  Garfield  had  defeated  in 


324  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

the  nominating  convention — had  had  something  to  do  in 
bringing  about  this  cruel  and  cowardly  attempt  upon  the 
President's  life.  So  in  all  probability  had  Mr.  Garfield's 
assassin  been  lynched  and  killed  at  once  a  suspicion  of 
guilt  might  have  rested  upon  Grant,  Conkling  and  others 
fully  as  unjust  and  almost  as  cruel  as  the  assassination 
itself.  But  the  murderer  was  permitted  to  live  to  undergo 
a  fair  trial,  and  long  before  his  conviction  and  execution 
took  place  every  shadow  of  suspicion  that  he  may  have  had 
accomplices  in  the  execution  of  the  crime  such  as  at  first 
existed  in  the  minds  of  a  few  partisans  was  dispelled.  The 
assassin's  own  avowal  and  corroborative  circumstances  as 
developed  in  the  trial  went  clearly  to  prove  that  no  other 
hand  and  no  other  mind  than  that  of  the  assassin  alone 
entered  into  or  bore  a  part  in  the  President's  untimely 
taking  off. 

In  Mr.  Garfield's  illness  the  counsel  of  the  most  emi- 
nent physicians  and  surgeons  in  America  and  in  Europe 
was  called  to  the  aid  of  the  home  physicians.  In  accord- 
ance with  Dr.  Bliss'  suggestion,  the  names  of  twelve  of 
the  leading  physicians  of  this  country  were  placed  in  a 
hat  and  drawn  out  by  lot,  the  three  first  drawn  to  be  em- 
ployed as  assistants  in  the  case.  Days  were  set  apart  for 
special  prayer  in  behalf  of  the  sufferer  by  the  churches 
throughout  Christendom;  and,  while  all  the  physicians  vir- 
tually agreed  as  to  what  was  deemed  to  be  a  correct  diag- 
nosis of  the  case,  all  this  scientific  skill,  combined  with  the 
prayers  of  the  Christian  world,  was  unable  to  save  Mr. 
Garfield's  life.  After  lingering  for  many  days  in  the  fetid 
air  of  the  capital  without  any  improvement,  he  was  car- 
ried in  a  special  car  to  Elberon,  New  Jersey,  a  watering 
place  on  the  seashore. 

The  bullet  that  inflicted  the  President's  death  wound 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  325 

entered  the  right  side  and  lodged  in  the  bony  structure  of 
the  spinal  column  and  was  never  located  until  an  autopsy 
was  held;  and  it  was  only  after  a  prolonged  search  during 
this  examination  that  the  bullet  was  found  encysted  as 
above  described. 

On  the  second  of  July,  when  the  President  was  stricken 
down,  Washington  was  alive  in  anticipation  of  the  gayeties 
of  the  approaching  anniversary.  But  this  terrible  calamity 
put  a  stop  to  any  further  preparations  for  celebrating  the 
great  national  holiday.  Excursions,  picnics,  balls  and 
parties  in  many  cases  were  declared  off.  Pianos  in  private 
houses  were  closed,  and  for  many  days  were  never  opened. 
From  the  time  the  fatal  shot  was  fired  until  the  funeral 
cortege  had  passed  out  of  sight;  for  a  period  of  one  hun- 
dred days  the  general  demeanor  of  the  people  at  their 
homes  in  Washington  was  like  that  of  a  family  where 
some  dear  one  lies  ill  and  at  the  point  of  death. 

The  trial  and  execution  of  his  murderer  created  an  in- 
terest equally  absorbing,  but  with  this  difference.  The 
sickness  and  burial  of  the  President  called  out  all  the 
tender  and  sympathetic  emotions,  while  the  trial  and  exe- 
cution of  the  assassin  was  but  an  affirmative  declaration 
of  the  scriptural  injunction:  "Vengeance  is  mine  saith 
the  Lord,"  and  appealed  to  the  baser  elements  of  human 
nature. 

But  suffering  from  injuries  contracted  while  in  the 
army,  and  only  partially  recovered  from  a  severe  illness,  in 
which  he  was  attended  by  Dr.  Bliss,  the  writer,  by  the 
advice  of  his  physician,  obtained  leave  of  absence  from  the 
Treasury  Department  with  permission  to  go  abroad,  and 
forthwith  journeyed  to  Boston,  and  there  engaged  passage 
in  a  barque-rigged  schooner  bound  for  the  Azorean  and 
Cape  De  Verde  Islands. 


326  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

While  awaiting  the  time  set  for  sailing  many  places 
were  visited  in  and  near  Boston,  around  which  cluster 
memories  dear  to  Bostonians  and  to  all  patriotic  Ameri- 
cans. Standing  upon  the  top  of  Bunker  Hill  Monument 
the  morning  sun  in  every  direction  as  far  as  the  eye  can 
reach  seems  to  light  up  and  recall  scenes  made  glorious 
by  the  struggles  of  our  early  ancestors.  The  feeble  efforts 
first  put  forth  by  the  little  band  of  Pilgrims  and  outcasts 
from  the  mother  country  at  Plymouth  Rock  have  gone 
steadily  on,  gathering  strength  with  the  onward  tide  of 
progress,  until  a  vast  continent  has  been  subdued,  over 
which  the  "Cradle  of  Liberty"  has  rocked  her  millions  of 
healthy  and  free  born  babes.  The  first  shots  fired  at  Lex- 
ington and  Concord  have  been  heard  around  the  world, 
and  awakened  the  echoes  of  liberty  in  the  breasts  of  all 
mankind.  These  are  Meccas  toward  which  at  least  one 
pilgrimage  should  be  made  in  the  life  of  every  citizen  in 
whose  veins  courses  the  inspired  blood  of  1776. 

After  many  delays,  the  day  and  hour  for  sailing  ar- 
rived and  all  was  bustle  and  confusion  at  the  wharf  and 
on  the  deck  of 

THE  GOOD  BARQUE  "SARAH." 

Piles  of  boxes  and  bundles,  mostly  the  effects  of  steerage 
passengers,  all  Azoreans  returning  to  their  native  islands, 
were  being  hastily  tumbled  into  the  vessel's  hold,  while 
those  of  the  cabin  (utter  strangers  and  now  thrown  to- 
gether for  the  first  time)  were  busy  looking  after  lug- 
gage, arranging  staterooms,  and  in  exchanging  whatever 
gossip  may  have  been  gathered  in  regard  to  the  hour  of 
sailing,  the  sea-going  qualities  of  the  vessel,  and  the 
character  of  her  officers,  upon  whom  so  much  of  the  com- 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  327 

fort  or  discomfort  of  a  voyage  in  a  sailing  vessel  depends. 
All  were  anxious  to  learn  something  of  the  ship  and  her 
master,  into  whose  keeping  their  lives  were  soon  to  be 
entrusted  for  an  indefinite  period. 

On  the  afternoon  of  Saturday,  August  18th,  18 — ,  the 
bark,  with  twenty-one  cabin  passengers,  buoyant  in  anti- 
cipation of  the  coming  pleasures,  was  towed  out  into 
Boston  Harbor,  first  passing  City  Point  and  Fort  Inde- 
pendence on  the  right,  and  Fort  Warren  on  the  left. 
Boston  Light  and  Nantasket  next  appear;  and  as  the 
shades  of  evening  begin  to  fall,  glimmering  lights  from  a 
thousand  cottages  along  the  beach  illumine  the  waters  of 
the  bay  from  shore  and  hillside;  while  countless  numbers 
of  swift-flying  sails,  some  outward  and  some  homeward 
bound  are  passing  constantly  in  review.  Dark  portentous 
clouds  springing  suddenly  up  from  the  south,  lit  up  now 
and  then  by  vivid  flashes  of  lightning,  add  grandeur  and 
beauty  to  the  scene  and  intensify  the  interest  of  the  occa- 
sion. 

Having  passed  outside  the  harbor,  the  towline  is  cast 
off,  when  the  pilot  and  the  friends  who  had  accompanied 
us  after  many  hearty  hand-shakings  jumped  on  board  the 
tug,  which,  heading  about,  soon  passed  out  of  sight.  The 
lights  in  Boston  Harbor  grew  less  by  degrees,  and  finally 
the  last  faint  glimmer  died  away.  Barnet's  Light  on  our 
starboard  quarter,  towering  a  distance  of  a  hundred  feet 
in  height,  and  situated  far  out  at  sea,  soon  sank  to  the 
water's  edge,  cast  its  faint  rays  for  a  brief  period  along 
the  smooth  surface  of  the  water,  and  then  disappeared. 
Thus,  the  last  tie  binding  us  to  native  land  seemed  to  have 
been  severed,  and  we  found  ourselves  fairly  out  on  "Old 
Ocean's  gray  and  melancholy  waste." 

Until  a  late  hour  the  passengers  were  up  on  the  quar- 


328  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

ter-deck,  enjoying  the  novelties  of  the  surroundings;  pay- 
ing, so  far,  very  little  attention  to  the  ship,  which  had  al- 
ready begun  to  roll  in  a  manner  not  well  calculated  to 
soothe  the  qualms  of  a  bilious  stomach.  The  first  gray 
streak  of  the  following  morning  had  no  sooner  appeared 
then  one  after  another  of  the  passengers  came  stealthily 
out  of  their  staterooms;  but  alas!  how  changed  in  appear- 
ance. The  ship  was  now  rolling  and  plunging  in  a  reckless 
manner.  Hasty  and  very  scant  toilet  had  been  made,  and 
an  almost  total  absence  of  sleep  during  the  night  added  to 
the  disconcerted  appearance  of  the  ladies,  whose  hair  and 
partially  adjusted  garments  were  alike  streaming  in  the 
wind.  Every  one  on  board  was  apparently  going  through 
the  ludicrous  pantomime  of  trying  to  maintain  an  upright 
position,  while  upon  their  faces  an  ashy  paleness  began  to 
settle.  Among  the  passengers  who  had  become  the  most 
intimate  only  furtive  glances  were  now  and  then  ex- 
changed, each  deceiving  himself  with  the  belief  that  he 
was  deceiving  the  other  in  the  ease  with  which  he  dis- 
posed of  trifles,  and  took  to  a  sailor's  life;  for  no  one  yet 
was  ever  willing  to  acknowledge  frankly  the  first  qualms 
of  seasickness. 

The  morning  meal  was  announced,  and  out  of  the 
twenty-one  cabin  passengers  only  three  came  up  smiling 
to  the  table.  The  other  eighteen,  where,  oh  where,  were 
they?  It  is  said  that  Julius  Caesar  groaned  aloud  and  in 
abject  humiliation  with  the  miseries  of  an  ague  chill;  but 
if  there  is  one  thing  more  than  another  calculated  to  take 
the  conceit  out  of  a  proud  mortal,  and  unbend  the  arro- 
gant and  haughty,  it  is  to  be  bounced  about  for  a  succes- 
sion of  days  in  a  sailing  vessel,  and  all  the  time  on  the 
verge  of  "throwing  up"  one's  immortal  soul.  But  matters 
soon  began  to  mend,  and  after  the  lapse  of  a  day  or  two 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  329 

normal  habits  were  resumed,  appetites  returned,  and  the 
situation  rapidly  improved.  A  steady  hreeze  kept  up  from 
the  southwest,  and  aided  by  the  Gulf  Stream  kept  our 
vessel  ploughing  on  its  eastward  course  at  the  rate  of  ten 
knots  an  hour;  and  whether  by  day  or  night,  from  this 
time  forward  the  journey  was  one  of  uninterrupted 
pleasure. 

The  deck  was  protected  by  an  ample  awning  through 
the  day,  and  the  soft  temperature  of  that  latitude,  with 
the  aid  of  a  full  moon,  made  the  nights  especially  delight- 
ful, and  until  a  late  hour,  lounging  in  wicker  chairs,  we 
whiled  the  drowsy  hours  in  contemplation  of  the  scene, 
varying  the  monotony  with  games  at  cards  and  in  reading 
or  discussing  the  latest  novel.  Now  and  then  the  cry  of 
"Sail  ho!"  from  the  man  on  the  lookout  was  heard,  when 
all  eyes  were  fastened  on  the  strange  ship  until  she  passed 
far  astern. 

It  is  an  interesting  episode  to  be  able  to  speak  a  vessel 
far  out  at  sea;  for,  at  such  a  time,  the  thought  will  occur 
that  possibly  this  may  be  the  last  that  one  or  the  other 
may  be  seen  or  heard  of  by  the  friends  at  home  who  watch 
in  vain  for  the  return  of  the  vessel  and  its  precious 
burden.  For  this  and  other  reasons  an  international  sys- 
tem of  signals  has  been  adopted,  by  which  an  English 
speaking  officer  may  hail  a  Norwegian  or  German  vessel, 
as  well  as  one  from  his  native  land.  There  is  an  awful 
significance  in  the  report  we  sometimes  read  of  a  ship  long 
overdue  having  been  "last  spoken"  in  some  remote  lati- 
tude. 

On  the  morning  of  the  20th  day  out  the  cry  of  "Land 
ho!"  from  the  lookout  was  taken  up  and  reechoed  by  the 
sailors  about  the  forecastle,  and  instantly  every  eye  on 
board  was  strained  ahead.  The  crew  were  all  Portuguese, 


330  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

as  were  the  steerage  passengers,  and  native  Azoreans. 
Many  of  the  latter,  having  been  absent  for  years,  were  now 
returning  to  the  land  of  their  birth.  These  would  crowd 
up  in  the  bowsprit,  all  anxious  to  catch  the  first  glimpse  of 
their  beloved  isles,  the  "dearest  spot  on  earth"  to  them. 
They  had  not  long  to  wait,  for  when  still  a  distance  of 
fifty  miles  away,  just  above  the  water's  edge,  like  a  dark 
cloud,  appeared  the  first  in  our  course  of  the  Azorean 
group, 

FLORES,  THE  ISLE  OF  FLOWERS. 

Keeping  the  pace  with  which  the  "Sarah"  had  been 
dividing  the  waves  since  her  departure  from  Boston,  we 
hoped  to  sail  alongside  this  little  oasis  in  the  great  desert 
of  waters  while  daylight  remained,  but  alas,  how  fickle  is 
the  wind.  The  steady  breeze  that  had  in  so  short  a  time 
swept  us  across  the  broad  Atlantic  suddenly  died  out,  and 
for  twenty-four  hours  we  lay  at  a  provoking  distance  from 
this  enchanting  spot. 

As  night  comes  on  the  sails  at  regular  intervals  flap 
lazily  against  the  spars,  and  the  vessel  rolls  lightly  from 
side  to  side,  with  the  regular  pulsating  throbs  of  the  ocean's 
breast.  The  highest  peaks  of  Flores  are  swathed  in  soft 
silver-tinted  clouds,  an  Italian  sky  is  over  the  broad  ex- 
panse, while  in  the  west,  where  the  sky  and  waters  meet, 
the  sun  goes  down  amidst  a  scene  the  most  dazzling  and 
beautiful;  and  the  island,  but  dimly  seen  in  the  distance, 
soon  fades  from  sight.  At  a  late  hour  we  retire  to  dream 
of  the  day  passed,  and  to  speculate  upon  what  the  morn- 
ing may  reveal. 

Looking  upon  the  distant  shore  at  daylight  the  words 
of  the  old  song,  "Thou  Art  So  Near,  and  Yet  So  Far," 
are  suggested;  but  with  the  rising  sun  a  freshening  breeze 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  331 

springs  up  and  the  vessel's  prow  is  turned  shoreward.  Like 
the  gradual  opening  of  *a  flower,  the  beauties  of  the  island 
develop  as  the  distance  lessens.  Its  entire  surface  is  as 
green  as  a  meadow  in  June.  Beginning  at  the  water's 
edge,  the  ground,  volcanic  in  formation,  rises  to  a  height 
in  the  center  of  two  to  three  thousand  feet.  Little 
rivulets  of  water,  glistening  in  the  sun,  are  first  seen  de- 
scending from  rocks  and  precipices  above,  and,  disappear- 
ing for  a  time,  they  emerge  with  more  majestic  flow,  fol- 
lowing the  downward  course  until  swallowed  up  in  the 
broad  ocean. 

Small  herds  of  sheep,  goats  and  cattle  can  now  be  seen 
grazing  far  up  the  mountains'  sloping  sides,  dotted  here 
and  there  with  little  white  specks,  which,  upon  closer  ob- 
servation, prove  to  be  houses  built  of  lava  rocks  and 
whitewashed.  They  are  surrounded  with  bamboo  hedges 
that  look  like  towering  rectangular  walls.  These  grow  to 
a  height  of  twenty  or  thirty  feet,  serving  at  once  as  a  wind- 
break and  for  fencing  between  little  holdings  of  land  of 
not  more  than  an  acre  or  two  to  each  occupant.  Here  the 
farmers  and  gardeners  of  our  own  country  might  derive  a 
wholesome  lesson  on  the  subject  of  intensive  cultivation, 
for  on  these  little  patches  of  ground  whole  families  are 
supported. 

Santa  Cruz  is  the  capital  and  only  city  of  Mores,  and 
there  is  no  harbor  excepting  for  small  coasting  vessels. 
The  waters  immediately  surrounding  are  so  deep  that  an 
anchorage  cannot  be  obtained  at  a  distance  from  the  shore 
far  enough  to  enable  a  ship  to  swing  clear  at  the  end  of  a 
cable.  Freight  and  passengers  are  transferred  in  large 
pinnaces,  propelled  by  six  or  eight  barelegged  and  bare- 
headed oarsmen. 

While  waiting  for  the  Health  and  Custom  officers  to 


332  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

board,  the  breeze  continuing  to  freshen,  the  "Sarah"  is 
forced  to  beat  about  from  point  to  point,  all  the  while 
keeping  a  respectful  distance  from  the  shore.  Approach- 
ing the  landing  in  one  of  these  launches,  with  a  strong 
breeze  and  a  heavy  sea  running,  where  there  is  barely  room 
for  the  boat  to  pass  among  the  rocks,  it  seemed  our  little 
craft  would  surely  be  dashed  to  pieces,  and  the  continuous 
gabble  of  the  oarsmen  and  the  orders  and  counter-orders 
excitedly  passing  among  them,  were  not  calculated  to  in- 
spire confidence. 

Presently  a  narrow  channel  opened  before  us,  and  into 
it  we  were  borne  on  the  crest  of  a  tremendous  wave.  All 
held  their  breath,  for  a  critical  moment  had  come.  The 
boatmen  tugged  manfully,  but  just  here  an  oar  on  the 
starboard  bow  struck  and  snapped  in  two.  This  threw 
them  all  out  of  stroke,  and  the  boat  veering  around, 
crashed  into  a  boulder.  The  next  instant,  however,  she 
passed  through  the  narrows,  and  without  further  accident 
we  glided  into  the  waters  of  a  little  bay  not  more  than  an 
acre  in  extent,  and  the  shore  was  reached  in  safety. 

The  city  of  Santa  Cruz  is  built  on  a  high  cliff,  its  prin- 
cipal street  running  down  to  the  water's  edge.  Up  this 
incline  we  labor,  step  by  step,  until  the  central  square  is 
reached.  From  here  a  half  dozen  or  more  narrow  streets 
radiate  at  all  points  of  the  compass.  The  houses  are  built 
of  lava  with  tiled  roofs,  and  one  or  two  stories  in  height. 
The  first  floor  is  generally  used  for  stabling  donkeys,  which 
afford  the  only  means  for  conveying  freight  and  passen- 
gers on  the  island;  and  families  are  domiciled  on  the  floor 
above.  The  streets  are  about  the  width  of  an  alley  in  our 
American  cities,  and  there  being  no  sidewalks,  pedestrians, 
donkeys  and  ox-carts  find  their  way  through  these  narrow 
passages  together. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  333 

The  natives,  those  who  were  fellow  passengers,  seemed 
to  vie  with  each  other  in  their  efforts  to  make  our  visit  on 
the  island  one  of  pleasure  and  profit.  The  hospitality  and 
native  politeness  of  the  people  is  phenomenal.  In  passing 
through  the  most  populous  portion  of  the  town,  every  man 
or  boy  one  meets  lifts  his  hat  and  hows,  and  a  like  cour- 
tesy is  expected  in  return.  The  houses  are  provided  with 
balconies  or  green  blinds  at  the  windows,  from  behind 
which  dark-eyed  women  take  a  sly  look  at  the  passing 
stranger. 

There  is  no  physician  in  Flores,  and  no  provision  made 
by  law  for  the  poor,  and  beggars  ply  their  vocation  without 
let  or  hindrance.  They  are  quick  to  scent  a  traveler  and 
often  hound  his  tracks  until  he  gladly  ventures  another 
passage  of  the  "narrows,"  and  takes,  not  "to  the  woods," 
but  to  the  more  uncertain  fortunes  of  the  sea. 

In  company  with  a  Portuguese  fellow-passenger  I  vis- 
ited the  penitentiary,  a  large  stone  building  near  the  center 
of  the  city;  but  instead  of  waiting  for  an  official  to  open 
the  door  and  escort  us  through,  my  friend  took  me  to  the 
main  entrance,  and,  finding  the  doors  and  corridors  open, 
we  walked  in.  Presently  a  gentleman  stepped  out  from 
one  of  the  "cells"  and  kindly  joined  us,  acting  as  a  guide. 
A  little  later  I  was  surprised  to  learn  that  our  "guide"  was 
himself  a  prisoner,  and  the  only  one  at  the  time  in  the 
institution.  But  this  extraordinary  liberty  given  a  prisoner 
charged  with  an  offense  against  the  law  seems  to  have  been 
the  course  commonly  pursued.  It  was  explained  that  it 
was  impossible  for  a  prisoner  to  escape  from  the  island, 
and,  should  there  be  a  jail  delivery  at  any  time,  and  the 
escaped  took  to  the  hills  in  the  interior,  it  would  be  only 
a  question  of  hours  to  overtake  and  again  place  them  in 
duress.  So  the  better  way  for  all,  we  were  told,  was  to 


334  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

leave  the  doors  open  and  allow  the  "prisoners"  to  go  in 
and  out  at  will.  But  the  real  secret  lies  in  this.  They 
have  no  use  in  that  country  for  jails.  Criminal  offenses 
there  are  seldom  known.  The  people  are  simple-minded 
and  primitive  in  their  habits  as  were  the  natives  of  the 
West  Indies  as  described  by  Columbus.  They  are  a  blithe 
and  light-hearted  peasantry  for  the  greater  part,  taking 
little  heed  of  the  future  (so  far  as  temporal  affairs  are 
concerned),  living  simply  and  reposing  implicit  faith  in 
the  priest  as  a  safe  counselor,  guide  and  prophet  for  this 
world,  and  in  his  ability  to  prepare  them  for  an  exceeding 
weight  of  glory  in  the  next.  For  four  hundred  years  their 
ancestry  have  lived  here,  and  up  to  the  time  of  this  inquiry 
but  one  murder  had  been  committed  on  the  islands. 

The  Azoreans  are  living  in  an  atmosphere  of  mediaeval 
Europe  and  seem  to  have  but  little  desire  or  ambition  to 
emerge  from  the  drowsy  past  and  "go  up  against"  the 
problems  of  the  present.  France,  we  are  told,  in  her  efforts 
to  separate  Church  from  State,  has  been  brought  close  to 
the  verge  of  civil  war.  But  that  will  never  be  the  con- 
dition among  the  inhabitants  of  these  islands.  There  is 
no  such  thing  as  State  government  with  them,  where  the 
priest  constitutes  the  only  court  of  law  and  the  Church 
dominates  and  controls  legislation. 

On  approaching  the  islands  from  the  sea  the  first  object 
to  catch  the  eye  is  the  cathedral,  which  in  all  of  the  towns 
and  cities  is  the  largest  and  most  imposing  structure. 
They  also  are  built  of  lava  rock  in  the  old  Moorish  style  of 
architecture.  Around  these  everything  worth  living  for 
seems  to  center.  At  the  sound  of  the  cathedral  bell  all 
animation  in  the  street  and  domestic  circle  is  suspended, 
and,  whatever  the  hour  may  be,  the  people  en  masse  turn 
their  faces  toward  the  holy  shrines. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


335 


But  our  good  ship,  having  discharged  her  cargo,  is  ready 
to  proceed  on  her  eastward  course,  and  we  must  say  good- 
bye to  Flores  and  its  strange  and  interesting  people  that 
have  so  engrossed  our  attention  for  a  day  and  a  night. 
This  we  do  reluctantly,  for  there  is  a  simplicity  about 
them  that  captivates  the  stranger. 

On  the  final  leave-taking  crowds  of  people  assemble  on 
the  bluffs  near  by,  and  many  descend  with  us  down  the 
stony  steps  to  the  quay,  and  once  more  on  board  the  lighter 
that  carries  us  away,  cheerful  greetings  are  called,  hand- 
kerchiefs waved  and  good  wishes  of  "God-speed"  are  heard 
on  every  hand. 

Meantime  the  "Sarah,"  a  mile  or  two  out,  is  beating 
up  and  down  the  coast,  first  on  one  track  and  then  on 
another,  like  a  mettled  charger  impatient  for  the  start. 
Once  more  on  board,  with  all  sails  set,  braces  hauled  taut 
and  heading  east  by  south,  we  begin  the  passage  for  the 
second  to  be  visited  of  this  charming  group, 

SAN  MIGUEL. 

This  is  the  largest,  most  westerly  and  most  populous 
of  the  Azorean  Islands.  Ponta  Delgada,  its  capital  and 
only  harbor  for  large  sea-going  vessels,  is  a  city  of  30,000 
inhabitants,  and  the  third  in  size  in  the  Portuguese 
dominions. 

For  the  tourist  seeking  health  or  the  traveler  looking 
for  untrodden  fields  there  is  no  more  inviting  spot  than 
the  Island  of  San  Miguel.  A  counterpart  of  the  others 
in  formation,  San  Miguel  (about  thirty  miles  in  width  by 
seventy-five  in  length)  rises  in  the  center  to  a  mountain 
range  about  three  thousand  feet  high,  and  contains  a 
population  of  150,000  people.  Being  but  a  short  distance 


336  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

from  continental  Europe,  it  possesses  many  attributes  of 
refinement  and  civilization,  though  the  peasant  class  here, 
as  elsewhere,  are  living  three  hundred  years  behind  the 
age. 

At  the  time  of  this  visit  there  were  said  to  be  but  seven 
horses  on  the  island;  the  ox,  burro  and  mule,  all  diminu- 
tive in  size,  were  the  sole  dependents  for  travel  and  carry- 
ing heavy  burdens. 

The  first  morning  in  Ponta  Delgada  I  was  awakened  by 
the  unseemly  noises  with  which  the  air  was  filled.  The 
sounds  were  like  the  blowing  of  sirens  and  steam  whistles 
in  one  of  our  large  cities  on  the  occasion  of  a  gala  day, 
when  huge  noises  seem  most  in  demand.  Walking  out 
into  the  suburbs  I  soon  learned  their  cause.  Scores  of 
ox-carts  were  being  driven  in,  carrying  vegetables  and 
supplies  for  the  early  market.  These  are  constructed 
entirely  of  wood,  there  being  not  a  particle  of  iron  or 
steel  in  their  make-up.  The  wheels  are  of  solid  blocks, 
through  the  center  of  which  a  wooden  X  projects.  The 
bearings  are  never  relieved  by  the  application  of  grease 
or  any  sort  of  lubricant,  and  when  the  carts  are  heavily 
loaded  the  noises  caused  by  the  friction  of  X  and  wheel 
are  something  appalling.  This,  however,  is  music  to  the 
peasant  ear,  for  in  this  manner  evil  spirits  and  hobgoblins 
of  every  species,  it  is  believed  by  them,  are  kept  at  bay, 
and  their  dangerous  influences  counteracted.  To  an  ear 
unattuned  to  this  sort  of  music  the  "hobgoblins"  would 
seem  to  be  preferred. 

In  the  central  portion  of  San  Miguel  in  some  remote 
age  was  a  volcano  of  tremendous  proportions.  In  the 
bottom  of  a  crater  called  the  "Valley  dos  Furnas,"  at  a 
depth  of  1,200  feet,  are  still  to  be  seen  the  evidences  of 
its  expiring  energies.  Great  clouds  of  vapor  and  steam 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  337 

are  hanging  over  the  cavernous  depths.  Acres  of  ground 
in  the  center  are  hot  and  turbid,  throwing  up  mud  and 
water  to  a  height  of  several  feet,  like  a  seething,  boiling 
cauldron.  Kegular  pulsating  throbs,  as  if  a  giant  trip- 
hammer were  beating  against  the  walls  beneath,  causes  the 
earth  to  tremble  for  many  yards  around.  There  are  both 
hot  and  cold  springs  of  water  within  a  space  of  a  few 
feet.  Public  baths  are  maintained  near  the  geysers  by  the 
Government,  making  the  place  altogether  a  popular  resort. 
There  are  hotels  where  accommodations  can  be  had  at  a 
moderate  charge,  and  the  springs  are  visited  yearly  by 
many  invalids  and  pleasure-seekers  from  England  and  the 
continent  of  Europe.  At  an  elevation  of  nearly  three 
thousand  feet  in  the  center  of  the  island  is  a  broad  table- 
land supporting  a  large  population,  though  the  ground  is 
seared  with  deep  canyons  running  out  to  the  sea.  Tower- 
ing buttes  now  and  then  rise  above  the  common  level,  from 
the  top  of  which  a  fine  view  is  obtained — the  Valley  of 
the  Furnas  on  one  hand,  the  broad  ocean  on  the  other, 
and  numerous  lakes  of  sparkling  water,  whose  banks  are 
dotted  with  little  villages  and  white  cottages — and  all 
embowered  in  a  deep  foliage  of  green. 

Descending  the  mountain  to  the  sea  I  reach  the  hamlet 
of  Villa  Franca.  The  objective  point  is  Ponta  Delgada, 
fifteen  miles  distant.  The  hour  is  late  and  a  fresh  animal 
must  be  procured  in  order  to  reach  my  destination  before 
night  closes  in.  With  a  diminutive  mule  and  a  little  boy 
to  drive,  whose  age  is  scarcely  more  than  nine  years,  the 
journey  is  begun.  The  road  leads  along  the  waters  edge, 
and,  with  a  high  tide  and  the  wind  blowing  inland,  the 
route  is  dangerous,  and  my  little  driver  urges  the  donkey 
forward  at  every  step.  The  shore  is  inhabited  by  fisher- 
men and  we  are  frequently  interrupted  by  beggars.  The 


33$  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

little  driver,  assuming  a  guardianship  over  me,  waves  the 
intruders  aside.  I  can  understand  enough  of  his  language 
and  gestures  to  know  that  he  informs  them  I  am  an  Eng- 
lish gentleman  and  must  not  be  interrupted  by  beggars. 
I  correct  this  error  on  the  part  of  the  boy  and  tell  him 
I  am  an  American,  and  not  an  Englishman.  On  meeting 
more  beggars,  with  an  air  of  authority  he  confronts  them 
with :  "Americano !  Americano  I'9  and  flippantly  waves 
them  aside.  Before  reaching  the  end  of  the  journey  night 
is  upon  us  and  this  little  muleteer  must  return  alone  over 
this  rugged  pathway,  across  which  in  places  the  waves 
surge  in  volume  sufficient  to  carry  both  horse  and  rider 
out  into  the  sea.  At  one  time  on  our  passage  the  surf 
rolling  in  engulfed  the  little  man  to  the  waist,  and,  fear- 
ing for  his  life,  I  took  him  up  behind  me  and  carried 
him  beyond  the  point  of  danger. 

The  natives  are  trained  from  early  childhood  to  this 
employment.  While  making  a  journey  from  Ponta  Del- 
gada  to  the  Furnas  (a  distance  of  twenty-four  miles), 
being  constantly  hurried  along,  I  remonstrated  with  the 
driver,  insisting  that  I  was  in  no  haste,  but  wished  rather 
to  proceed  slowly,  the  better  to  enjoy  the  scenery.  There- 
upon he  modestly  informed  me  he  was  anxious  to  get 
through  and  return  to  the  Furnas  that  evening,  in  order 
to  meet  an  engagement  with  a  young  lady  to  accompany 
him  to  a  chimerite  or  dance.  As  he  expected  to  carry  a 
passenger  back  with  him,  he  would  be  compelled  to  make 
the  journey  both  ways — forty-eight  miles'  travel — on  foot, 
and  then  to  dance  all  night.  Young  men  who  can  travel 
that  distance  in  the  twelve  hours  of  daylight  (receiving 
fifty  cents  for  the  labor)  and  then  dance  all  night,  even 
with  their  best  girl,  are  scarce  in  these  degenerate  days. 

On  reaching  Ponta  Delgada  it  is  found  the  "Sarah" 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  339 

has  already  sailed  for  Fayal,  and  I  am  compelled  to  await 
the  arrival  of  a  steamer.  The  intervening  time  is  em- 
ployed in  visiting  the  private  gardens  located  here,  many 
of  which  surpass  in  beauty  anything  of  the  kind  in  this 
country,  if  not  in  the  world.  At  every  step  taken  through 
these  enchanting  grounds  fresh  surprises  are  presented. 
There  are  acacia  trees  imported  from  Africa,  around  and 
over  which  creepers,  honeysuckle  and  trumpet  vines  revel 
and  cling.  Palm  trees  and  poplars  and  hedges  of  oleander 
laden  with  blossoms  overreach  the  graveled  walks.  A 
mountain  stream  of  limpid  water  running  through  a  rocky 
glen,  forming  cascades  and  miniature  lakes,  is  finally  lost 
in  a  grotto  or  underground  cavern  green  with  moss  and 
overhanging  ferns. 

But  sojourning  in  the  Azorean  Archipelago,  no  matter 
for  how  long  a  period,  there  is  one  object  that  is  seldom 
lost  sight  of  and  which  grows  upon  the  beholder  as  it  is 
viewed  from  a  distance,  till  one  feels  impelled  as  by  some 
mysterious  power  to  make  a  closer  inspection.  It  is  an 
abrupt  peak,  cone-like  in  shape,  rising  out  of  the  sea  a 
distance  of  nearly  eight  thousand  feet — more  than  a  mile 
and  a  half — and  not  over  fifteen  miles  across  its  base. 
This  is 

THE  MOUNTAIN"  OF  PICO. 

Prom  this  mountain  the  island  takes  its  name.  For  weeks 
Pico  has  been  seen  looming  up  against  the  blue  sky  from 
every  point  of  compass,  sometimes  at  a  distance  of  fifty 
miles  or  more,  seeming  to  challenge  one  to  the  ascent  of 
its  dizzy  height,  and, 

'^Variable  as  the  shade 
By  the  light  changing  aspen  made," 


340  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

it  has  never  appeared  twice  alike.  Vapory  clouds  hang 
over  its  summit,  changing  with  the  wind,  and  varying  in 
color  as  different  hues  of  light  reach  it  from  the  rising 
or  setting  siin. 

At  last  bidding  good-bye  to  San  Miguel  I  take  passage 
on  the  only  steamer  plying  regularly  between  Lisbon,  the 
Azores  and  Madeiras,  and  at  the  end  of  twenty-four  hours 
set  off  in  a  lugger  that  lands  me  at  Magdalena,  the  capital 
city  of  the  island. 

The  outer  rim  of  Pico  clear  down  to  the  water's  edge 
is  dotted  with  the  whitewashed  houses  so  common  to  the 
country,  and  these  are  embowered  in  grapeladen  vines. 
Having  formed  the  acquaintance  of  an  intelligent  native 
acquainted  with  the  English  language — Senor  Antone 
Garcia — I  was  soon  able,  through  his  assistance,  to  procure 
the  services  of  three  native  guides  with  five  burros,  these 
being  the  first  requisite  for  making  the  ascent.  Two  of 
the  little  animals  carried  the  necessary  supplies  for  a  two 
days'  journey,  though  we  hoped  to  make  it  twenty-four 
hours.  Bread,  cheese,  cold  chicken,  a  few  bottles  of  wine 
for  the  inner  man  and  an  extra  suit  of  clothes  in  case 
of  necessity  from  storm  or  exposure  completed  the  outfit. 
The  road  was  rough  and  stony  from  the  start,  leading 
through  narrow  lanes  shut  in  on  either  side  by  immense 
bamboo  hedges  or  walls  of  lava  rock  until  we  pass  beyond 
the  limits  of  Magdalena.  We  next  come  into  green  pasture 
lands  on  which  herds  of  goats,  sheep  and  cattle  range  in 
great  numbers,  attended  by  shepherds,  who  watch  their 
flocks  by  day,  seeking  shelter  in  stormy  weather  beneath 
the  shelving  rocks. 

As  we  reach  the  higher  altitude  a  magnificent  view  is 
presented.  Not  a  breath  of  wind  is  stirring,  and  through 
a  September  haze  the  vast  expanse  of  ocean  and  sky  seem 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  341 

blended  into  one.  The  rays  of  the  sun,  just  disappearing 
in  the  depths,  are  reflected  upon  the  overhanging  clouds, 
transforming  them  into  a  blaze  of  glory.  Fertile  valleys 
are  beneath  our  feet,  and  the  faint  echo  of  a  shepherd's 
voice  calling  his  sheep  into  shelter  for  the  night  is  faintly 
heard,  and  Magdalena,  the  capital  city,  is  but  a  white 
speck  in  the  distance. 

Our  object  now  is  to  reach  a  place  on  the  mountain 
where  the  donkeys  are  to  be  left  in  the  keeping  of  one 
of  the  guides  until  our  return,  while  the  remainder  of  the 
party,  traveling  on  foot,  come  to  a  sheltered  cave,  there  to 
rest  until  daylight,  and  then,  if  possible,  reach  the  summit 
in  time  to  see  the  sunrise. 

Night  coming  on,  we  reach  the  point  where  the  donkeys 
must  be  abandoned,  and  from  this  time  forward  the  ascent 
is  gained  only  through  the  utmost  exertion.  A  dense  fog 
turning  first  to  a  heavy  mist  and  then  to  a  downpour  does 
not  add  to  the  general  comfort.  There  is  a  thick  green 
moss  growing  that  is  saturated  with  water,  and  into  this 
we  sink  at  every  step;  our  garments  soon  become  thor- 
oughly wet,  and,  notwithstanding  the  great  exertion  re- 
quired to  make  headway,  we  are  soon  chilled  to  the 
marrow.  The  guides  with  lanterns  search  every  cleft  of 
rock  and  declivity  in  an  effort  to  find  the  cavern  that  would 
afford  us  some  shelter  until  morning,  but  nothing  of  the 
kind  is  found.  About  12  o'clock  we  came  upon  an  open- 
ing into  which  one  of  the  guides  penetrated,  and  found  a 
dry  spot  as  was  believed  large  enough  to  accommodate  our 
party.  Entering  this  cave  we  settled  down  with  backs 
against  the  wall,  and  there  fell  asleep;  but  no  more  than 
an  hour  had  passed  when  the  water  came  pouring  in  like 
a  shower  bath,  and  we  hurried  out,  fearing  to  be  caught 
and  engulfed  like  rats  in  an  overflowing  cellar. 


342  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

With  one  guide  traveling  ahead,  and  the  other  bringing 
up  the  rear,  we  push  on,  compelled  to  keep  in  motion  or 
perish  with  the  cold,  as  the  wind  is  now  blowing  a  gale. 
Thick  gloom  and  darkness  shut  out  the  closest  objects,  and 
often  we  have  to  assist  each  other  over  perpendicular 
walls;  or  descending  suddenly  into  a  gulch,  we  land  on 
loose  slag  that  slips  from  under  foot,  precipitating  one  in 
a  downward  flight  until  shelving  rocks  are  reached,  fifteen 
or  twenty  feet  below. 

At  daylight  the  wind  went  down  and  the  clouds  began 
to  lift,  when  we  found  ourselves  on  the  thin  rim  or  wall 
of  a  crater  250  feet  deep,  and  a  picture  of  desolation.  The 
bottom  of  this  crater  covers  a  space  of  about  two  acres,  in 
the  center  of  which  is  a  chimney  or  loose  pile  of  rocks 
thrown  up  by  volcanic  action  to  a  height  of  two  or  three 
hundred  feet  above  the  rim.  The  apex  of  this  pile  of 
rocks  forms  the  summit  of  Mount  Pico,  the  point  which  it 
is  our  ambition  to  reach. 

Without  delay  we  descend  to  the  bottom  of  the  crater 
and  begin  preparations  for  the  ascent.  The  chimney  is 
about  as  near  perpendicular  as  loose  rocks  can  be  made  to 
lay,  and  to  make  headway  over  its  jagged  surface  looks 
like  a  formidable  undertaking.  The  only  hold  or  support 
in  making  the  ascent  is  found  in  placing  the  hands  and 
feet  in  the  cracks  and  crevices  between  the  boulders.  But 
divesting  ourselves  of  all  superfluous  clothing,  we  begin 
cautiously  making  our  way  from  rock  to  rock  and  from 
crevice  to  crevice.  The  intense  cold  encountered  during 
the  night  is  no  longer  felt,  for  in  many  places  hot  air  and 
vapor  issue  from  the  fissures  between  the  rocks,  warming 
both  hands  and  feet.  Scarcely  venturing  to  look  around 
or  beneath,  the  topmost  stone  is  finally  reached,  on  whose 
flat  surface  there  is  barely  room  for  a  dozen  men  to  stand. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  343 

Daylight  has  now  revealed  the  universe,  and  there  is ' 
opened  to  the  view  a  scene  of  indescribable  grandeur  and 
beauty.  The  sun,  like  a  red  blaze  of  light,  is  just  coming 
out  of  the  ocean  in  the  east;  while  beneath,  nestling  in 
little  green  valleys  and  ravines  in  every  part  of  the  isl- 
and, a  hundred  white  cottages  are  visible.  Casting  the 
eye  seaward,  Fayal,  San  Jorge  and  Graciosa  appear  like 
little  gems  in  a  diamond  setting.  The  rays  of  the  sun, 
unobstructed  by  mist  or  cloud,  striking  the  mountain  side 
cast  a  shadow  over  the  smooth  surface  of  the  water,  coni- 
cal shaped,  in  lines  distinct  as  could  be  drawn  with  pencil 
or  brush,  a  distance  of  thirty-five  miles  beyond  the 
farthest  shore  of  Fayal.  Within  the  space  covered  by  this 
shadow  might  easily  anchor  the  combined  fleets  and  navies 
of  the  world.  Presently,  and  far  below,  fleecy  clouds  begin 
to  gather  and  spread  till  their  soft  folds  encircle  the 
mountain  and  the  entire  island  is  shut  out  from  view. 
Like  gaunt  specters  in  mid-air,  the  clouds  continue  to 
move,  engulfing  one  object  after  another,  until  beneath, 
an  ocean  of  silvery  vapor  is  all  that  can  be  seen.  Not  a 
sound  is  heard,  and  there  is  an  awe-inspiring  majesty  in 
this  isolation  from  the  world  and  in  the  silence  that  pre- 
vails as  we  stand  in  space,  2,000  feet  above  the  clouds.  In 
looking  downward  one  is  seized  with  an  almost  uncon- 
trollable desire  to  plunge  headforemost  into  the  soft  and 
downy  mass  beneath.  „ 

About  9  o'clock  the  sun  rose  clear  above  the  shifting 
clouds,  lighting  them  with  a  dazzling  splendor.  Often 
they  move  aside  sufficiently  to  allow  glimpses  of  the  green 
island  through  the  rifts.  Again  towering  upward  like 
mountain  peaks,  they  re-form  and  move  like  armed  hosts 
in  battle  array. 

Beginning  the  descent,  imposing  spectacles  shut  out  by 


344  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

the  darkness  in  our  upward  course  appear  on  every  hand. 
In  passing  around  to  the  northern  side  of  the  crater  we 
find  a  space  of  ahout  100  yards  where  the  rim  or  wall  has 
broken  off  and  fallen  down  the  mountain.  Approaching 
this  opening,  with  a  guide  on  either  hand  warning  me 
back  with  word  and  gesture,  I  soon  find  myself  standing 
on  the  edge  of  a  precipice  with  perpendicular  walls,  and 
having  no  rock  or  other  impediment  to  prevent  one  from 
plunging  into  a  yawning  chasm  whose  depths  cannot  be 
penetrated  by  the  unaided  eye. 

Lying  loose  in  every  direction  are  great  pieces  of 
cream-colored  lava  twisted  into  curious  and  fantastic 
shapes.  One  enormous  specimen  of  a  rich  creamy  color 
is  lying  on  the  surface  entirely  separate  from  others.  It 
is  cylindrical  in  form,  hollow  from  one  end  to  the  other 
and  about  six  feet  in  diameter.  The  opening  contains  a 
quantity  of  ice-cold  water,  and  here  we  are  able  to  slake 
our  thirst.  It  is  the  only  place  on  the  mountain  at  this 
elevation  where  water  can  be  obtained. 

It  is  said  that  during  the  heavy  storms  of  winter  the 
rain  is  driven  into  this  opening,  and  as  the  sun  never 
penetrates  the  bottom  of  the  cavern  the  water  remains 
there  cool  and  fresh  throughout  the  year. 

Continuing  below  this  point,  the  dangers  that  beset  the 
pathway  in  coming  up  are  apparent.  Deep  seams  and 
gulches  that  once  formed  passageways  for  streams  of 
molten  lava  are  found.  These  we  must  often  descend  or 
cross  on  projecting  rocks,  the  crevices  between  being  the 
only  foothold  one  can  obtain.  These  lava  courses  some- 
times take  the  form  of  a  complete  tunnel.  The  lava  ap- 
parently having  first  cooled  on  the  surface,  forms  a  crust, 
while  that  beneath,  still  hot,  continues  its  downward 
course  like  water  through  a  main. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  345 

Continuing  the  journey,  the  first  appearance  of  vege- 
table and  animal  life  has  a  counter-effect  from  the  scenes 
of  desolation  through  which  we  have  just  come;  and  the 
sensation  of  delight  is  almost  as  keen  as  that  on  first 
reaching  the  summit.  Standing  on  the  pinnacle  of  this 
wonderful  mountain  one  is  fully  impressed  with  the 
majesty  of  creation;  but  on  reaching  a  firm  footing  four  or 
five  thousand  feet  below,  where  the  air  is  redolent  with 
the  odor  of  blossoms  and  ringing  with  the  song  of  birds, 
there  is  a  feeling  of  thankfulness  that  the  dangers  inci- 
dent to  the  ascent  are  left  behind.  Even  the  braying  of 
the  donkey  now  hailing  from  a  distance  is  a  welcome 
sound  to  the  ear. 

After  reaching  the  camp  where  the  animals  are  found  in 
waiting  we  lose  no  time  in  mounting,  and  for  the  re- 
mainder of  the  journey  their  backs  seem  like  downy  beds 
of  ease.  Facing  a  beautiful  sunset  as  we  descend,  labor- 
ers, milkmaids  and  herdsmen  join  us  on  the  trail,  and  as 
the  shades  of  evening  begin  to  fall  we  reach  Magdalena. 

The  collective  name  of  the  Azorean  group — "Illhas  dos 
Acores"  or  "Isles  of  Hawks" — is  derived  from  a  species  of 
bird  that  once  inhabited  the  islands  in  great  numbers,  sup- 
posed to  be  a  hawk.  San  Jorge,  San  Miguel  and  Santa 
Maria  are  said  to  have  been  discovered  on  days  dedicated 
to  those  Eoman  Catholic  saints.  Graciosa  is  the  "beauti- 
ful," and  Pico,  the  "peak."  Terceira  was  the  third  in  the 
order  of  discovery,  Angra  being  its  chief  city  and  only 
seaport.  In  physical  characteristics  it  is  not  unlike  the 
other  islands,  and  Angra,  the  commercial  center,  is 
situated  on  a  mesa  about  one  hundred  feet  above  the  sea. 
It  is  the  most  modern  in  its  construction  and  general 
appearance,  having  wider  streets,  and  larger  and  more 
commodious  buildings. 


346  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Terceira  has  a  history  peculiar  to  itself  that  would  be 
exceedingly  interesting  for  the  student  to  follow,  but  to 
which  we  can  but  briefly  allude.  There  is  in  print  a  little 
volume  entitled,  "Among  the  Azores,"  by  Lyman  W. 
Weeks,  to  which  we  are  indebted  for  a  good  deal  of  in- 
teresting and  valuable  data  upon  this  subject. 

Centuries  ago  the  Azores  were  a  bone  of  contention  be- 
tween the  Portuguese  and  the  Moors,  and  aside  from  the 
dangers  incident  to  these  conquests,  the  natives  of  Ter- 
ceira were  compelled  to  defend  themselves  and  their  pos- 
sessions against  the  incursions  of  pirates  and  robbers  that 
infested  the  Archipelago  in  the  early  years  of  its  history. 
Many  of  the  defensive  works  built  by  them  in  that  roman- 
tic period  are  still  standing,  and  in  a  fair  state  of  preserva- 
tion. 

Apropos  of  the  American  Civil  War,  Angra  gained  some 
celebrity  as  being  the  place  where  the  Confederate  cruiser, 
the  Alabama — constructed,  armed,  equipped  and  manned 
by  the  English — was  there  delivered  to  the  Confederate 
authorities  represented  by  Admiral  Semmes  and  his  staff 
of  naval  officers.  They  took  possession  of  the  ship  at 
Angra  and  with  it  started  on  her  memorable  cruise  for  the 
destruction  of  American  commerce  on  the  high  seas.  But 
it  is  a  long  road  that  never  turns.  The  English  govern- 
ment later  on  was  required  to  pay  to  the  United  States  the 
snug  little  sum  of  $15,500,000  for  damages  wrought  to 
our  merchant  ships  by  the  Alabama  and  other  cruisers, 
this  being  the  compensation  fixed  by  what  is  known  as 
the  "Geneva  Award." 

Bidding  farewell  to  Terceira,  and  once  more  on  board 
the  steamer,  we  head  for  the  port  of  Horta  and  the 

ISLAND  OF  FATAL. 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  347 

As  a  fellow  passenger  we  have  a  no  less  distinguished 
personage  than  the  Commander-in-Chief  of  the  Portu- 
guese army.  In  military  parlance  one  often  hears  of  a 
"corporal's  guard,"  but  a  corporal  without  a  guard  is  not 
necessarily  a  very  luminous  factor  in  the  organization  and 
control  of  an  army.  As  compared  with  the  great  armies 
of  the  present,  the  Portuguese  would  scarcely  be  able  to 
muster  more  than  a  "corporal's  guard,"  and  the  import- 
ance attached  to  the  office  of  its  commanding  general 
would  have  the  same  relative  significance.  But  our 
Portuguese  commander  seemed  to  entertain  a  different 
estimate  of  his  worth. 

He  was  making  the  rounds  of  the  fortifications  on  the 
Azores  and  Madeira  Islands,  built  centuries  ago  and  gar- 
risoned by  a  few  soldiers  or  gendarmes  who  act  as  police 
in  the  towns  and  cities  where  located.  On  these  anti- 
quated works  a  few  old  guns  of  the  Fifteenth  Century 
pattern  are  mounted.  A  military  sentinel  paces  up  and 
down  the  parapets;  the  blare  of  a  bugle  is  occasionally 
heard,  and  the  outward  forms  of  a  military  post  are  ob- 
served. The  maximum  strength  of  the  entire  force  on  the 
islands  is  about  two  or  three  hundred  men;  with  head- 
quarters at  Horta,  where  the  greater  number  of  these  are 
to  be  found. 

Through  the  courtesy  of  an  Englishman  acting  as  inter- 
preter (an  engineer  of  the  ship  who  chanced  to  be  off 
duty),  I  had  the  pleasure  of  a  conversation  with  the 
General.  He  seemed  pleased  to  meet  an  ex-officer  of  the 
American  army,  and  asked  a  number  of  questions  relating 
to  the  Civil  War,  upon  which  subject  he  seemed  well  in- 
formed. The  occasion  to  me  was  an  interesting  one,  more 
from  what  took  place  at  the  end  of  the  journey  than  from 
the  pleasure  derived  from  the  trip.  On  reaching  the  port 


348  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

of  Horta  we  find  ourselves  in  the  midst  of  a  holiday  given 
in  honor  of  the  distinguished  fellow  passenger.  The  gar- 
rison is  turned  out  under  arms;  the  blue  and  white  flag  of 
Portugal  floats  from  pole  and  masthead;  the  shipping  in 
the  harbor  is  decked  in  colors;  a  General's  salute  is  fired 
from  the  rusty  cannon  in  the  fort;  and  the  report  of  the 
guns  rolling  across  the  bay,  mingled  with  the  music  of  a 
band,  and  the  ye-ho-heave-ho  of  the  sailors  on  an  out- 
ward-bound barque,  all  combined  to  make  the  scene  one 
of  extraordinary  interest. 

From  a  commercial  standpoint  the  island  of  Fayal  is 
the  most  important  of  the  Azorean  group.  Horta,  the 
chief  city,  has  a  commodious  harbor  frequented  by  vessels 
from  all  parts  of  the  world.  Historically  it  is  an  exceed- 
ingly interesting  place.  It  is  the  seat  of  government 
under  the  authority  of  the  Portuguese  crown  for  the  dis- 
trict comprising  the  islands  of  Fayal,  Pico,  Flores  and 
Corvo.  For  many  years,  a  United  States  consulship  has 
been  maintained  here,  from  which  agencies — generally 
native  appointees — are  supported  on  each  of  the  islands. 

The  scene  on  entering  the  harbor  is  one  of  extraordi- 
nary beauty.  The  high  rocky  bluffs  and  promontories  jut- 
ting out  into  the  sea,  in  color  and  formation  are  not  un- 
like the  walls  of  the  Grand  Canyon  in  our  own  country, 
presenting  almost  every  hue  of  the  rainbow.  The  city  of 
Horta  lies  in  amphitheater  form  encircling  the  harbor, 
the  business  streets  running  down  to  the  water's  edge; 
while  the  residence  portion  rises  terrace  on  terrace  far 
up  the  mountain  sides,  enriched  by  fine  gardens  and 
hedged  in  by  a  luxuriant  growth  of  ornamental  trees, 
plants  and  shrubbery. 

Fayal  is  a  station  where  passing  ships  receive  coal  and 
water,  and  whalers  coming  in  from  long  cruises  leave  their 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  349 

cargoes  of  oil  and  bone  to  be  carried  by  steamer  to 
America  and  other  countries,  then  laying  in  fresh  supplies, 
they  return  without  loss  of  time  to  the  whaling  grounds. 
Indeed  the  Azorean  waters  at  the  time  of  which  I  speak, 
afforded  a  very  profitable  territory  for  whaling  operations; 
and  a  station  was  maintained  at  Horta  for  the  purpose  of 
capturing  the  Leviathans  of  the  deep.  From  a  tower  and 
outlook  a  man  with  a  glass  constantly  swept  the  sea,  and 
on  the  first  appearance  of  a  "spouter,"  small  boats  con- 
taining harpoons,  guns  and  all  the  tackle  in  use  at  that 
time  for  netting  the  quarry  were  immediately  launched, 
and  propelled  by  strong  arms,  an  exciting  chase,  result- 
ing sometimes  in  a  battle  to  the  death  began. 

There  is  also  an  extinct  volcano  situated  near  the  center 
which  forms  one  of  the  many  attractive  features  of  Fayal. 
So  a  party  is  made  up  and,  mounted  on  the  ever  patient 
and  never  failing  donkey,  we  start  out  to 

EXPLORE  THE  CALDEIRA. 

On  reaching  the  summit  the  first  impression  was  disap- 
pointing, for  a  dense  fog  was  hanging  over  it,  and,  what 
added  especially  to  the  discomfort,  a  drenching  rain  soon 
began  to  fall,  in  which  we  stood  unsheltered  for  half  an 
hour.  The  rain,  however,  ended  as  suddenly  as  it  began, 
the  clouds  lifted  and  the  sun  coming  out  soon  dispelled  the 
mist,  and,  standing  on  the  rim  of  the  crater,  we  were 
afforded  an  uninterrupted  view  to  a  depth  of  700  feet. 

The  opening  is  a  mile  across  at  the  top,  descending  fun- 
nel-shaped to  the  bottom,  where  there  is  a  lake  of  crystal- 
like  water.  Looking  up  from  the  lake  the  stars  can  be 
seen  at  mid-day.  The  descent  is  abrupt  in  places,  and  if 
a  misstep  is  made  one  is  liable  to  plunge  headlong  to  the 


350 


With  Touch  of  Elbow. 


bottom.  In  such  a  case  more  stars  are  likely  to  be  seen. 
The  story  was  current  at  the  time  that  a  young  American 
in  this  way  a  short  time  before  lost  his  life. 

The  heavy  rains  of  the  mountains  wash  out  deep  gullies 
down  their  sides,  the  ground  being  of  a  reddish  clay  for- 
mation that  hardens  when  exposed  to  the  air.  In  this 
way  perpendicular  walls  are  frequently  left  standing  fifty 
feet  in  depth,  making  it  dangerous  for  one  unacquainted 
with  the  country  to  venture  among  these  pitfalls  alone. 

Eecent  rains  had  rendered  the  ground  very  slippery, 
and  on  the  return  trip  the  guides  exercised  the  greatest 
caution,  endeavoring  to  keep  the  party  together  and  to 
avoid  dangerous  places.  But  in  spite  of  repeated  warnings 
I  wandered  off,  trusting  to  the  instinct  of  the  donkey  to 
select  a  good  route  and  carry  me  safely  down  the 
mountain. 

The  little  animal  kept  on  a  ridge  about  ten  feet  in 
width  at  the  beginning,  having  a  gulch  two  or  three  feet 
deep  on  either  side.  Not  noticing  particularly  any  change 
in  the  formation,  and  while  I  was  absorbed  with  other 
and  more  interesting  objects,  the  donkey  came  suddenly 
to  a  standstill.  Casting  my  eyes  downward  I  realized  at 
once  the  difficulty  into  which  we  had  come.  The  ridge 
had  dwindled  to  a  width  of  not  more  than  twelve  or  four- 
teen inches,  and  there  abruptly  came  to  an  end,  and  a 
yawning  cavern  on  either  side  fully  fifty  feet  in  depth 
confronted  us.  The  sensation  was  like  that  of  being  sus- 
pended in  midair. 

No  assistance  was  in  sight,  though  I  could  hear  the 
voices  of  our  party  in  the  distance.  The  intelligent  little 
donkey  stood  motionless  as  a  statue,  with  eyes  and  ears 
cast  downward  into  the  gulf  below.  The  ground  was  slip- 
pery and  I  dare  not  move,  and  almost  hesitated  to  breathe, 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  351 

fearing  to  throw  the  donkey  out  of  balance  and  into  the 
gulf.  The  suspense,  though  but  for  an  instant,  was  any- 
thing but  agreeable,  and  no  possible  suggestion  of  relief 
had  as  yet  come  to  mind.  But  presently  there  was  a 
slight  motion  or  tremor  perceptible  in  the  little  animal 
on  whose  back  I  was  perched  and  upon  whose  sagacity 
and  coolness  my  life  depended.  All  four  of  his  feet  occu- 
pied a  space  but  a  few  inches  apart,  but,  keeping  their 
relative  position,  his  feet  began  to  change  with  the  move- 
ments of  his  body.  I  sat  motionless  while  this  transforma- 
tion was  going  on  until  the  little  burro  had  completely 
turned  around  as  if  on  a  swivel,  when,  without  a  word 
spoken  by  me,  he  shot  out  on  his  back  track  as  if  impelled 
by  some  more  persuasive  power  than  the  goad  usually 
carried  by  the  driver. 

On  reaching  safe  ground  again  I  met  a  guide  who  had 
started  out  in  search  of  me.  After  dismounting  and  giving 
the  donkey  an  affectionate  salute,  a  demonstration  of 
gratitude  I  thought  he  would  understand  and  appreciate, 
I  then  handed  the  driver  a  sarelia  (a  small  Portuguese 
coin),  requesting  him  to  expend  it  in  the  purchase  of  an 
extra  ration  for  the  donkey's  supper.  This  last  act  I  fear 
never  affected  the  burro  any  more  substantially  than  the 
hug  I  gave  him,,  for  soon  after  reaching  the  city  the  driver 
was  seen  purchasing  cigarettes,  and  there  is  good  reason 
for  believing  my  donation  to  the  donkey  went  up  in  smoke. 

A  number  of  industries  more  or  less  important  are  car- 
ried on  in  the  Azores.  The  native  peasantry,  while  jovial, 
happy  and  thoughtless,  are  also  industrious.  The  women, 
who  labor  for  the  smallest  wage  (often  not  more  than 
five  or  six  cents  a  day),  are  very  ingenious  in  the  manu- 
facture of  knitted  and  drawn  work,  chief  in  this  class 
being  very  delicate  lace  known  in  commercial  centers  as 


352  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

the  "Fayal"  lace  and  made  from  the  fiber  of  the  century 
plant.  The  separating  of  the  fiber  from  the  pulp  is  done 
in  Oporto  by  some  sort  of  milling  process,  when  the  rough 
fiber  is  returned  to  the  islands,  where  the  lacemakers  take 
it,  reduce  and  polish  it  by  hand  labor  into  an  exquis- 
ite fabric,  which,  when  woven  into  lace,  becomes  of  great 
value. 

Grapes  are  a  natural  product  of  all  the  islands  and 
their  cultivation,  with  the  manufacture  of  wine,  is  the  chief 
industry.  Every  foot  of  ground  is  utilized.  Seams  and 
caverns  in  the  rocks  having  perpendicular  walls  fifty  feet 
high  are  often  seen  covered  with  a  luxuriant  growth  of 
grape  or  other  fruitful  vines.  These  are  planted  on  shelv- 
ing rocks  that  jut  out  from  the  walls  often  not  more  than 
two  feet  wide. 

Water  fresh  and  cool  from  the  hills  flows  continuously 
into  large  stone  troughs  in  the  public  squares,  around 
which  bevies  of  dark-eyed  women  are  to  be  seen  with  large 
earthen  jars,  which,  when  filled  with  water  and  the  gossip 
of  the  day  has  been  exhausted,  they  balance  on  their  heads 
and  carry  away.  Sometimes  water  is  transported  by  plac- 
ing a  large  barrel  or  hogshead  between  two  oxen  or  mules 
and  suspended  from  poles  fastened  across  their  backs. 

There  are  no  forest  trees,  though  cultivated  varieties 
attain  a  wonderful  growth.  But  there  is  a  low,  hardwood 
bush,  something  like  the  sarvis  berry  growing  in  mountain 
regions  of  the  Pacific,,  that  is  found  in  great  abundance 
on  the  higher  elevations  here.  These  are  cut  for  fuel  and 
carried  on  the  backs  of  donkeys  to  the  villages  below. 
They  generally  go  in  large  numbers,  like  the  pack  trains 
of  the  West  in  an  early  day.  The  bushes  are  about  six 
or  eight  feet  in  length,  and  when  laid  across  a  donkey's 
back  there  is  nothing  visible  of  the  propelling  power  b:.t 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  353 

four  little  feet.  One  of  these  large  trains  moving  slowly 
down  the  side  of  a  mountain  is  a  strange  sight,  giving 
the  impression  of  a  forest  in  motion  and  recalling  the 
scene  in  "Macbeth"  as  prophesied  by  the  witches — "Birnam 
Wood  moving  to  Dunsinane." 

While  traveling  among  the  islands  a  book  chanced  to 
come  into  my  hands  written  in  support  of  a  theory  not 
altogether  new,  but  rather  an  ancient  tradition  more  re- 
cently revived,  to  the  effect  that  the  Azores,  Cape  de  Verde, 
Madeira  and  Canary  Islands  are  but  the  mountain  peaks 
of  a  lost  or  sunken  continent  once  inhabited  by  a  people 
in  a  high  state  of  civilization;  but  owing  to  a  flood  or 
cataclysm  of  some  kind  the  land  gradually  sank  beneath 
the  surface  of  the  water,  carrying  with  it  its  precious 
burden  of  human  life. 

Here,  according  to  the  legend,  was  located  the  Garden 
of  Eden;  all  science  and  literature  known  to  the  ancients 
originated  with  its  people,  and  the  real  kings  and  queens 
of  Atlantis  were  the  mythological  kings  and  queens  of  the 
more  ignorant  Greeks  and  Egyptians;  and  finally  the  en- 
gulfing of  the  island  by  the  overflowing  sea  was  nothing 
more  or  less  than  the  deluge  recorded  in  the  Bible. 

The  result  of  more  recent  scientific  expeditions  sent  out 
under  the  auspices  of  the  British  and  American  Govern- 
ments tends  strongly  to  support  the  belief  entertained  by 
many  that  somewhere  in  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  situated 
opposite  the  "Pillars  of  Hercules,"  an  island  continent 
vast  in  extent  as  Australia  once  existed. 

We  come  now  to  an  investigation  of  the  fortifications 
in  the  harbor  of  Horta,  where  a  gun  of  immense  propor- 
tions and  of  more  modern  cast  than  those  mounted  by  its 
side  is  the  first  object  to  attract  the  visitor,  and  the  more 
one  learns  of  its  history  the  more  anxious  he  becomes  to 


354  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

extend  his  observations.  The  gun  was  christened  and  its 
record  has  gone  down  to  history  as 

THE  "LONG  TOM." 

It  was  a  part  of  the  armament  of  an  American  privateer 
— the  General  Armstrong — sunk  in  the  harbor  of  Fayal 
in  an  engagement  with  a  British  fleet  of  battleships,  Sep- 
tember, 1814.  The  Portuguese  later  on  recovered  the 
"Long  Tom"  and  mounted  it  on  their  ancient  works,  where 
it  remained  an  object  of  special  interest  to  travelers  for 
more  than  seventy  years. 

Having  accidentally  fallen  upon  this  much,  I  at  once 
determined  to  learn  the  history  of  the  big  gun  in  detail, 
and,  after  some  delay  and  many  trials,  the  services  of  a 
native  were  obtained,  who  accompanied  me  in  a  systematic 
search  of  the  records  kept  at  Fayal  relating  to  this  event, 
and  which,  through  my  efforts,  were  translated  into 
English. 

While  it  is  very  gratifying  to  hear  the  courage  of  one's 
countrymen  extolled  by  strangers  in  a  strange  land,  it  is 
nevertheless  surprising  that  no  intelligent  account  of  this 
affair  has  ever  been  given  to  the  world.  A  fleet  of  Amer- 
ican battleships  in  command  of  a  Rear-Admiral,  carrying 
some  thousands  of  sailors  and  marines,  has  recently  been 
sent  across  the  ocean  to  bring  from  their  resting  place 
in  a  foreign  land  the  remains  of  John  Paul  Jones  for 
final  interment  in  the  country  for  which  his  services  as 
a  brave  sea  fighter  were  performed.  This  is  a  just  but 
tardy  tribute  to  the  memory  of  one  for  whose  courage  and 
fidelity  the  people  must  ever  feel  grateful,  though  by  it 
we  are  reminded  that  the  gallantry  displayed  by  the  officers 
and  men  of  the  General  Armstrong  in  the  harbor  of  Fayal, 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  355 

having  no  parallel  in  the  annals  of  our  navy,  has  never 
received  any  just  recognition.  The  Government,  however, 
has  taken  interest  enough  in  a  general  way  to  have  the 
Armstrong's  big  gun  transported  across  the  Atlantic  and 
placed  among  other  curios  in  the  Smithsonian  Institution 
at  Washington,  where  an  interested  American  may  find 
its  history  summed  up  in  a  placard  containing  two  or 
three  short  sentences. 

The  General  Armstrong  had  been  for  months  cruising 
in  the  channel  and  off  the  coast  of  Gibraltar,  inflicting 
great  damage  upon  British  commerce,  when,  on  the  26th 
of  September,  1814,  she  entered  the  port  of  Fayal  to 
obtain  water  and  supplies.  According  to  the  usages  of 
civilized  warfare  a  ship  should  be  secure  from  the  attack 
of  an  enemy  while  in  a  neutral  port ;  but  some  time  during 
the  day  the  Armstrong  was  followed  by  three  large  British 
men-of-war — the  brig  Carnation,  mounting  eighteen  guns ; 
the  Portia,  forty-four  guns,  and  the  line-of-battle  ship 
Plantaganet,  mounting  sixty-four  guns — the  three  ships 
carrying  two  thousand  men  and  mounting  one  hundred 
and  twenty  guns  in  all.  Admiral  Lloyd,  of  the  British 
fleet,  having  been  informed  by  the  pilot  in  the  harbor  that 
the  American  cruiser  was  in  port,  determined  upon  her 
capture,  and  at  once  cleared  his  ships  for  action.  Captain 
Samuel  Eeid,  a  young  man  then  only  thirty  years  of  age, 
in  command  of  the  Armstrong,  at  this  hour  had  some 
visitors  aboard  his  ship,  expecting  to  give  them  an  even- 
ing's entertainment,  among  the  number  being  Mr.  J.  N". 
Dabney,  the  American  Consul  at  Fayal.  Captain  Reid 
was  assured  by  the  Consul  and  his  Portuguese  friends  on 
board  that  his  vessel  would  be  entirely  safe  from  attack, 
being  in  a  neutral  port. 

But  the  brig  Carnation  had  already  launched  four  large 


356  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

open  boats  and  commenced  loading  arms  into  them. 
Captain  Eeid,  at  last  forced  to  the  conclusion  that  trouble 
was  imminent,  requested  his  friends  to  leave  the  ship,  as 
in  the  event  of  an  attack  it  was  his  purpose  to  fight.  The 
visitors  accordingly  went  ashore,  and,  after  holding  a 
council  of  war  with  his  officers,  Captain  Reid  decided  to 
attempt  putting  out  to  sea.  But  the  wind  was  unfavor- 
able, and  he  then  resolved  to  take  the  Armstrong  under 
the  batteries  of  the  fort.  Accordingly,  all  hands  were  piped 
to  quarters  and  the  situation  explained  to  them. 

The  sailors  on  board  a  privateer  are  not  enlisted  to  fight, 
only  conditionally,  and  Captain  Eeid  now  gave  all  who 
chose  to  do  so  an  opportunity  to  go  ashore  before  hostilities 
actually  began.  But  not  a  man,  from  his  first  officer  down 
to  the  colored  cook,  left,  and  the  unanimous  decision  was 
to  stand  by  Captain  Eeid,  the  Armstrong  and  the  Amer- 
ican flag. 

The  decks  were  then  cleared  for  action,  and  for  better 
defense  (as  the  odds  against  them  were  likely  to  be  very 
great)  the  oars  were  gotten  out  and  the  Armstrong  was 
pulled  up  close  under  the  guns  of  the  fort. 

Seeing  the  attempt  first  made  to  make  sail,  the  British 
ship  Carnation  set  her  top  sails  and  got  under  way  so  as 
to  prevent  the  Armstrong  leaving  the  harbor.  This  was 
about  8  o'clock  in  the  evening.  A  full  moon  shed  a  halo 
of  soft  light  over  the  bay,  on  whose  glistening  surface  not 
a  ripple  was  to  be  seen,  except  that  made  by  the  oars  of 
the  British  boats  now  moving  rapidly  toward  the  privateer. 

Captain  Eeid,  having  ceased  rowing,  let  go  an  anchor 
bow  and  stern  and  tightened  the  chains  so  that  his  vessel 
might  remain  broadside  to  the  enemy.  One  of  the  British 
boats,  being  considerably  in  advance,  ran  straight  to  the 
stern  of  the  Armstrong,  and  Captain  Eeid  in  his  shirt- 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  357 

sleeves,  with  a  speaking  trumpet  called  to  them  three 
different  times,  but  received  no  answer  except  by  one  of 
the  men,  who  in  a  gruff  voice  cried  out,  "What  is  it?" 
The  commanding  officer  of  the  boat  then  exclaimed,  "Give 
no  answer,  sir !  Eow  away,  my  boys !  In  with  the  oars !" 
and  soon,  with  their  boathooks  they  grappled  the  side  of 
the  privateer,  and  the  command  was  then  given,  "Fire, 
and  board  her,  my  men  I" 

Meantime  Captain  Eeid  with  his  men  at  quarters, 
numbering  only  ninety  souls  all  told  (including  the  cook), 
stood  motionless,  awaiting  the  attack,  and  simultaneously 
the  report  of  the  guns  rang  out  on  both  sides.  Lieutenant 
Worth,  a  brother  of  former  General  Worth,  of  our  army, 
was  severely  wounded,  and  one  man  of  the  Armstrong  was 
killed  at  the  first  volley.  The  crew  of  the  privateer,  how- 
ever, pouring  a  deadly  fire  into  the  boat,  the  enemy  were 
terribly  cut  to  pieces  and  compelled  to  retire. 

While  this  was  taking  place  the  other  three  boats  made 
all  possible  speed  to  the  starboard  quarter  of  the  Arm- 
strong, where  they  began  the  attack.  But  receiving  a 
charge  of  grape  from  the  privateer's  nine-pounders  (there 
were  six  of  these  guns)  that  decimated  their  ranks,  the 
cries  and  groans  of  the  wounded  and  dying  were  heard 
by  the  lookers-on  from  the  shore.  The  enemy  then  made 
a  desperate  attempt  to  board,  but  the  fire  from  the  priva- 
teer was  so  well  directed  the  enemy's  numbers  were  deci- 
mated and  their  boats  soon  rowed  away  in  a  sinking  con- 
dition. 

Captain  Eeid  then  got  up  anchor  and  drew  the  Arm- 
strong in  shore  not  more  than  a  half  pistol  shot  from  the 
fort,  where  she  was  again  moored  by  both  bow  and  stern, 
having  her  port  side  close  to  the  land.  This  was  a  strategic 
movement  of  great  importance,  as  the  British  now  hesi- 


358  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

tated  to  train  their  big  guns,  for  every  shot  that  passed 
over  the  Armstrong  was  likely  to  enter  the  city,  so  their 
eventual  success  must  depend  upon  boarding  and  in  the 
use  of  small  arms.  The  Carnation  meantime  sailed  out, 
evidently  determined  to  make  a 

FINAL  ASSAULT. 

The  American  consul,  watching  the  contest  from  the 
shore,  had  by  this  time  forwarded  a  note  to  the  Portu- 
guese governor  asking  protection  for  the  privateer.  In 
response  the  Governor  went  in  person  to  Admiral  Lloyd, 
begging  him  to  desist  from  further  hostilities,  but  this 
the  Admiral  flatly  refused  to  do,  and  continued  prepara- 
tions for  another  attack. 

About  9  o'clock  P.  M.  the  wind  freshened  and  the 
enemy's  brig  was  seen  towing  out  a  flotilla  of  boats  to  the 
number  of  fourteen,  each  containing  fifty  men.  When  at 
a  distance  of  a  rifle  shot,  the  boats  left  the  brig  and  took 
their  position  under  cover  of  a  ridge  of  rocks  just  in  front 
of  the  fort  where  now  lies  the  breakwater,  but  within 
musket  range.  The  brig  kept  under  sail  so  as  to  cooperate 
with  the  boats. 

During  this  time,  as  might  well  be  imagined,  terror  and 
dismay  spread  over  the  quiet  and  peaceful  city  of  Horta. 
The  windows  of  the  houses  near  the  scene  were  filled  with 
anxious  and  terrified  women;  while  the  shore  was  thronged 
with  men,  all  watching  with  intense  interest  the  approach- 
ing combat.  The  little  brigantine,  meantime,  appeared 
as  if  asleep  on  the  bosom  of  the  water;  not  a  sound  or  a 
motion  could  be  heard  or  seen  on  her  decks,  but  every 
preparation  to  receive  the  enemy  had  been  made,  and  the 
crew  were  hidden  at  quarters.  For  three  long  hours 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  359 

silence  reigned  supreme,  while  each  combatant  watched 
the  other  with  painful  interest.  At  last,  about  midnight, 
the  British  boats  emerged  from  their  temporary  cover 
behind  the  rocks,  and  moved  to  the  attack.  But  instead  of 
moving  by  divisions  as  Captain  Reid  supposed  they  would 
do,  they  came  in  a  compact  column  and  in  line. 

Breathlessly  and  calmly  the  men  of  the  American  vessel 
stood  to  their  guns,  awaiting  the  commands  of  their  offi- 
cers. The  "Long  Tom/'  a  gun  of  forty-eight  calibre,  and 
set  on  a  pivot  amidship,  had  been  loaded  to  the  muzzle, 
while  the  other  guns  had  been  so  arranged  that  after  the 
first  broadside  they  could  be  immediately  run  in  and  the 
portholes  closed,  as  it  was  feared  the  enemy  would  reach 
the  deck  of  the  Armstrong  before  they  could  be  reloaded. 

The  British  came  gallantly  to  the  attack.  Captain  Reid 
again  challenged,  but  received  no  answer.  The  fatal 
order  was  then  given,  and  a  volume  of  smoke  and  fire 
belched  forth  from  the  side  of  the  Armstrong,  while  the 
iron  missiles  struck  death  and  terror  into  the  ranks  of  the 
enemy.  Staggering  under  the  shock,  the  British  desper- 
ately returned  the  fire  and  again  plied  their  oars.  Impetu- 
ously coming  forward  amid  shouts  and  cheers  they 
finally  reached  the  bow  of  the  privateer  on  her  starboard 
side,  and  the  officers  gave  the  command  to  "board."  At 
this  moment  a  second  broadside  rang  out  from  the  priva- 
teer. The  crew  of  the  Armstrong,  with  their  boarding 
helmets  made  of  black  leather  with  iron  skulls,  their  faces 
at  the  same  time  begrimed  with  powder,  looked  more  like 
demons  than  men,  while  they  fought  with  pistols,  pikes, 
muskets  and  swords.  Groans  and  shrieks,  orders  and 
curses,  mingled  with  the  clashing  of  swords,  were  heard 
far  across  the  bay.  Repeatedly  the  British  attempted  to 
gain  the  decks  of  the  American  vessel,  but  as  often  were 


360  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

they  beaten  back  with  fearful  slaughter.  The  combat 
raged  on  both  sides  with  the  most  reckless  bravery  and 
determination.  Mr.  Alexander  0.  Williams,  First  Lieu- 
tenant of  the  Armstrong,  was  killed  while  courageously 
commanding  his  division  forward;  and  Robert  Johnson 
fell  severely  wounded,  while  Captain  Reid  was  engaged  in 
a  hand  to  hand  combat  with  Captain  William  Matterface, 
the  commanding  officer  of  the  boarding  force,  who  had 
reached  the  Armstrong's  decks.  One  thumb  and  one  finger 
of  Captain  Reid's  sword  hand  (his  left)  had  been  severed 
while  discharging  his  pistol  at  another  man  with  his  right 
hand.  At  this  critical  moment  the  English  officer  con- 
fronting him  made  a  desperate  lunge  and  well-nigh  closed 
the  combat  in  his  favor;  but  Captain  Reid,  gaming  a  tem- 
porary advantage,  with  a  terrible  blow  cut  the  Englishman 
down  and  he  fell  a  corpse  on  the  deck. 

For  more  than  an  hour  the  battle  raged  with  demoniac 
fury.  At  last,  after  having  exhausted  all  their  powder, 
the  Americans  threw  cold  shot  into  the  English  boats, 
compelling  them  to  push  off  for  some  distance  to  avoid 
sinking.  Finally  Captain  Reid  with  his  own  hand  again 
discharged  the  "Long  Tom"  into  their  ranks,  producing 
great  havoc,  resulting  in  the  complete  defeat  of  the  at- 
tacking force.  This  discharge  threw  the  big  gun  from  its 
pivot  onto  the  deck. 

The  scene  now  presented  was  appalling.  The  silvery 
waters  of  the  bay  were  red  with  blood,  while  the  dark 
forms  of  dead  bodies  were  floating  on  its  surface  for  many 
yards  away;  and  the  cries  of  the  wounded  rent  the  still 
air  of  night.  Three  of  the  enemy's  boats  had  been  sunk 
outright,  while  four  others  were  loaded  with  the  dead  and 
dying.  In  one  of  the  boats  every  man  was  killed  but  four. 
In  another  only  one  man  (an  officer)  escaped  death,  and  he 


With  Touch  of  Elbow.  361 

was  wounded.  The  result  was  nearly  a  total  extermina- 
tion of  the  attacking  force.  The  English  themselves  com- 
puted the  loss  at  150  killed  and  as  many  more  wounded, 
but  the  Portuguese  put  the  number  at  a  much  higher 
figure.  The  loss  of  the  Americans  was  2  killed  and  9 
wounded. 

But  still  not  satisfied,  the  British  returning  to  their 
ships  immediately  prepared  for  another  attack  and  soon 
opened  the  guns  of  the  fleet  on  the  intrepid  privateer. 
She  returned  them  broadside  for  broadside,  until  her 
ammunition  being  entirely  exhausted,  and  believing  that 
he  must  inevitably  surrender  or  be  annihilated,  Captain 
Eeid,  after  having  reloaded  the  "Long  Tom"  with  a  solid 
shot,  turned  her  muzzle  and  blew  a  hole  in  the  bottom  of 
his  own  ship.  Five  minutes  later  the  Armstrong  went  down 
with  the  American  flag  flying  at  her  halyard  peak,  when 
Captain  Eeid  with  all  of  his  men  jumped  into  the  bay  and 
swam  ashore.  Admiral  Lloyd  then  demanded  of  the  city 
that  the  fugitives  be  surrendered  and  threatened,  in  case 
of  refusal,  to  raze  it  to  the  ground.  But  later  he  thought 
better  of  it,  as  Captain  Eeid  and  his  men  fortified  them- 
selves in  a  commanding  position  in  the  suburbs,  where 
they  defied  the  enraged  Admiral  and  challenged  him  to  an 
attack. 

It  appears  the  British  fleet  with  two  thousand  soldiers 
and  marines  had  just  started  out  as  a  part  of  the  force  of 
Admiral  Sir  Thomas  Cochrane  in  the  expedition  against 
New  Orleans.  But  running  into  a  hornet's  nest  in  the 
shape  of  the  American  privateer  at  Fayal  caused  such  loss 
and  delay  that  the  junction  of  the  two  forces  was  never 
formed,  and  the  battle  of  New  Orleans  was  fought  with 
results  even  more  disastrous  to  the  British  than  the  un- 
fortunate affair  at  Fayal. 


362  With  Touch  of  Elbow. 

Whether  on  land  or  sea,  in  every  sphere  of  action  into 
which  ambition  leads,  there  is  a  regular  order  of  progres- 
sion and  a  constant  struggle  for  the  supremacy.  To  lose 
step  in  this  onward  tide  is  to  invite  disaster,  and  whether 
captured  by  the  enemy  or  arrested  and  confined  among 
stragglers  in  the  rear,  the  race  can  only  be  continued 
under  a  burdensome  handicap.  But  the  man  who  "With 
Touch  of  Elbow"  holds  to  the  ground  once  covered  and 
keeps  the  pace  will  never  know  defeat. 


:  \\<\£ 


